Our species
survival depends on the full humanisation of the individual and of the society .
To be fully human one must be'inwardly
free'... free
from social conditioning which createsfear
and inner conflict, free from egocentric wishes and desires preventing the
perception of the holistic reality which extends beyond the limits of the
ego-self or 'ego'. We must cultivate our greater spiritual self... our essence
or 'Self'. Cultivation of human spirituality is prerequisite to thehumane
and intelligent resolution of our
practical and philosophical human problems.To
resolve our problems we must be free to think for ourselves... 'freedom of
conscience'.Wemustopen
our mindsand
learn to trust our human personality i.e.'human
nature'.Personal
liberation is fundamental to growth through learning which is meaningful because
it engages personal development. We
must, therefore, offer our children anatural
education which aims for the cultivation of their individual potential and
natural their natural intelligence which is creative and productive and
therefore ensures their effective adaptation to changing social and
environmental conditions. The cultivation of creative intelligence is based on
the principles of human psychological development. Complete development of the
human personality involes moral or 'spiritual' development. Spiritual
development is a function of learning based on motivation by the higher
spiritual values or 'metavalues'. So-called 'metamotivation' is a function of
education for the person as a whole or 'holistic education'.

Acccording to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(article 26 paragraph 2) "Education
shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the
strengthening of respect for human rights and human freedoms".

Today there is urgent
need for positive social change and we
need to create a better world.Many of our social and
political problems originate
when human development is inhibited with the resulting lack
of intelligence as 'creative intelligence'. Personal inner conflicts and fears
result in irrational thought which translates into inadaptive and destructive
behaviour. Resolution of our human problems depends on freedom from inner
conflicts and fears - 'inner freedom'
- and subsequent openness of mind and cultivation of intelligence. Consequently
the intelligent resolution of our human problems depends on our ability to set ourselves free
and open our minds.This depends on education which
opens the mind and cultivates human intelligence. We
must stop conditioning children for mediocrity We
must stop
trying
to educate themto be what we would like them to be. Instead we
must trust them to trust themselves. We must trust them to trust their own needs
to develop their human personality and potential. We mustprovide the right conditions and
allow
them to
grow up to
be who they really are
-spiritual
beings with
the natural
right to become integrated, intelligent, ethical and therefore mature,
responsible and civilized adults able to cooperate peacefully and effectively in
their efforts to resolve their human problems. In
effect, we must provide universal education for complete human development or 'holistic
education'.

Holistic education is the practice of freedom
for creativity and productivity or 'work'. Work is
meaningful when motivation is stimulated by natural curiosity.This makes it motivating at all ages.
"...It
is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction
have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiostiy of inquiry; for this
delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom;
without this it goes to rack and ruin without fail."(Albert Einstein)

The word 'education' is derived from the Latin 'educare'meaning 'to educe' orbring out from latency. Education in the real sense of the word involves the
facilitation and
cultivation of complete human development and human potential.
According to the whole-system perspective, the human organism is a social organism
whose development involves the higher moral or 'spiritual' dimension
(spiritual needs or 'soul needs') as well as
the basic psychological dimension ('ego-needs') of the human personality or 'human nature'.
Moral development (development of moral
consciousness or 'conscience') is a product
of evolution through natural selection. As a natural process it depends on conditions provided
by an appropriate social or 'educational' environment. Consequently educational
philosophy which is scientifically valid must coincide with nature and
fundamental principles of natural human growth and development ('natural law').

Holistic education is moral education... socially responsible because it is committed to human
empowerment. Holistic
education is theory in practice or 'praxis'
... pedagogy of
the wisdom of compassion ...fostering
spiritual growth through love of a person's humanity i.e. 'unconditional love'
or 'universal love'... 'humanistic
education'. (It is disempowerment
of the individual which results in human wickedness or
'evil').
... pedagogy for development of
human potential for natural intuitive intelligence or
'creative intelligence'.

"Holistic education ....is more concerned with drawing forth the latent
capacities and sensitivities of the soul than with stuffing passive young minds
full of predigested information. It is an education that prepares young people
to live purposefully, creatively, and morally in a complex world." (Ron
Milleret al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and
Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, VT: Holistic Education Press, 1993
p. 17)

teacher aligns with and expression
of true, authentic Self at all times. Deeply accept and respect
yourself, Live in love with life, Live your passions and dreams,
Understand that 'education' and 'life' are interchangeable terms, Trust yourself
to trust children to trust themselves, Honour your intuitive instincts,
understanding that the rational mind is its faithful servant, Know that truly
loving a child means setting that child free,Understand that
who you are being in any given moment is
your only teaching, Understand that emotion is
the physical translation of your state of alignment-

Traditional education is irresponsible education when it is about
power, control and manipulation. The academic curriculum condenses the world into instructional packages... molds young
human beings into future workers or citizens... encouraging competition in
the classroom as preparation for competition of the workplace. Reliance on textbook information as source of
knowledge and emphasis on memorisation of 'facts' results in the perception of
intelligence in terms of abstract problem-solving skills and fails to cultivate
the intuition of creative intelligence. In
the traditional teaching
paradigm of 'banking
education' (Paulo Freire) education is confused with task-oriented or objective learning
i.e. 'schooling'.
Teaching methods involve the use of external motivating devices such as
punishment/reward systems of evaluation such as 'grades
and 'grade averages'. Students are coerced into patterns of learning
for external goals and objective tasks or 'learning outcomes'.
Such extrinsically motivated learning or
'extrinsic motivation' inhibits the free use of creative energy and
productiveness of meaningful work... inhibits 'free will'...
'freedom'. Denial of freedom
inhibits development of personality integration in the realisation of human
potential i.e. 'self-realisation' or
'self-actualisation'.
Self-actualisation depends on freedom for effective learning and
self-initiated meaningful work driven by the need for personal integrity and
spiritual independence or 'self-transcendance'.Consequently teaching for
external purposes is not functional in personal development and results in moral failure
and the subsequent irresponsiblility of behaviour.

"The lecture-based passive curriculum is not simply poor pedagogical
practice. It is the teaching model most compatible with promoting the dominant
authority in society and with disempowering students." (Paulo Freire Politics of Education
p. l0)

................................

Education and culture are interrelated. Education as
function of culture: growth of the individual depends on the extent to which the
culture facilitates the growth process.

"It is not possible to have a truly meaningful education for the
'humanization' of society without the scientific recognition of the intrinsic
nature and value of what it is to be human. A humane environment which is
supportive of the individual's intrinsic needs is conducive to their development
into mature individuals with self-discipline, self-confidence and
self-responsibility. Education for complete development means that it must
be geared to the child's psychic needs and capacities. Sound psychic
development is adversely affected by fear of extensive punishment, external
discipline and the overemphasis of forced learning. Fear creates hostility
and hypocrisy. Fear paralyzes endeavor and authenticity of feeling. Fear
prevents proper emotional development. Fear of an inhumane environment prevents
the proper development of an individual's humanity. It is possible to have a
truly meaningful wholistic education if it is based on the wholistic paradigm
which implies the scientific recognition of the human inner life. The wholistic
worldview permits a global view of the human being as a 'totality of body, soul
and spirit.' Scientific discoveries of the interrelations of body, soul and
spirit are reflected in a new educational paradigm. The new pedagogical
methodology recognizes that the child's learning experiences and learning
difficulties are global in nature. The global view of the child and the learning
process "can provide a secure theoretical and practical foundation for a
holistic education that directs itself to educate the whole person for the whole
of life." (Gerald Karnow)

Holistic education is based on the philosophy of 'holism' from Greek
'holos'...encompasses... involves the integration of multiple layers of meaning
and experience through direct engagement with the environment... the
person gains sense of identity , meaning and purpose in life through connections
with the community and the natural world.

"I believe that the single most powerful contribution that the
holistic education movement is making to the field of educational theory is the
power of the metaphor of holism i.e being
aware of the parts, the sum of the parts, and that which is
more than the sum of the parts. Further work is obviously needed
to develop a more comprehensive
theoretical framework that gives sufficient attention to all the important
dimensions of human experience and education." (David Purpel. "Holistic
Education in a Prophetic Voice" in Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in
Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times. Brandon,
VT: Holistic Education Press, 1993 83)

Holistic science
is involved with the creation of frameworks or 'structures' to explain the
characteristic properties of natural systems
thus producingthe ecological worldview
of 'systems theory'. Connnections are made
and new properties emerge ('emergent properties') as
a result of the interconnectedness of various parts of the system...these
condition but not determine the properties of the constituent parts of the
system. Consequently theconcept of oneness or ‘wholeness’is used
to understand the workings of the system as
a whole. The intrinsic nature and
value of the human inner life or 'consciousness'
of the scientist as subjective participant in the
observation processis considered as a valid and
significant aspect in the collection of
objective
physical sense data. "The specialist
concentrates on detail and disregards the wider structure which gives it
context. The 'new' scientist however, concentrates on structure on all levels of
magnitude and complexity, and fits detail into its general framework. He
discerns relationships and situations, not atomistic facts and events. By this
method he can understand a lot more about a great many more things than the
rigorous specialist, although his understanding is somewhat more general and
approximate... This is knowledge of 'connected complexity'. We ourselves are a
part of the connected complexity with which we are surrounded in nature... To
have an adequate grasp of reality, we must look at things in terms of systems,
with properties ('emergent properties') and structures ('frameworks resulting
from the patterns of interconnections') of their own." (Laszlo, Ervin. The
Systems View of the World: The Natural Philosophy of the New Developments in the
Sciences. New York: George Brazilier p.10)

Holistic education is
foundational to a culture of peace and true democracy because it is based on the
understanding of the human personality or 'human nature' "For too
long the inner world of children has been suppressed or denied, and this is a
serious flaw in our educational thinking that holistic educators seek to remedy".
(Kathleen
Kesson. Critical Theory and
Holistic Education: Carrying
on the ConversationinRon Miller (Ed.) The Renewal
of Meaning in Education:
Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, Vermont,
USA: Holistic Education Press(1993)

The foundational concepts
of holistic education (cognitive paradigm)are the same as those of holistic health care. Emphasis
on the importance of a perception of the person as a whole in terms of the
interconnectedness of body, mind and moral consciousness or
'conscience' ('spirit')... fosters the growth and integrity of children from birth
to adulthood... the recognition and respect for the individual's potential
responsibility for health of body, mind and spirit... their own well-being or
'wellness'... their own striving for wholeness...
mature growth or 'self-actualisation'.. and
therefore on their own education... provide environmental conditions which
foster the individual's needs for physical and psychological personal growth
towards high level wellness... personal growth...
psychological, emotional, intellectual, spiritual... calls forth reverence for
life... love of learnin g... through direct engagement with the environment...
nurtures a sense of wonder (Montessori spoke of 'cosmic education' as education
for sense of oneness with the universe... enchantment of learning. The holistic
educator values the many 'paths of learning'... Each path is specific to the
individual concerned, to the situation, to the social and historical context.
The art of teaching and learning lies in the responsiveness to the diversity of
needs of evolving human beings. Holistic education is humanistic education

"Much of the criticism of 'open' or 'humanistic' or 'holistic'
education has been directed toward its perceived lack of academic rigor. I
would suggest that this is partly due to the acritical position of some
advocates of 'child-centered' curriculum, who in their desire not to impose
adult directive upon students, fail to work with them to uncover why particular
social forms exist, how they are maintained, and who benefits from them. A truly
transformative education could be a mutual and collective effort to unveil the
hidden codes embedded in the everyday experience of the students which explicate
the underlying paradigm that frames their present reality. Beyond this decoding
of the common reality structures, educators could then work with students to
enable them to actively particapte in the reconstruction of their socal reality.
... For too long the inner world of children has been suppressed or denied, and
this is a serious flaw in our eductional thinking that holistic educators seek
to remedy. In our enthusiasm to nurture the subjectivities of
children, I hope that we don't forget that it is in the immmediate world of
symbols and shared mutual dialogue that genuine cultural transformation will
occur.. The potential of wholistic education is to develop capacity to
reason critically and compassionately, incorporating and transcending dualistic
and suppressed forms of consciousness to achieve a more fully developed mode of
awareness." (Miller
et al. 1993 The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural
and Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, VT: Holistic Education Press,
109)

The conceptual basis of
a wellness philosophy represents the foundation for the five dimensions of high
level wellness. These are self-responsibility, nutritional awareness, physical
fitness, stress management, and environmental sensitivity. A wellness lifestyle
enriches life, develops the character as well as the body, increases mental
alertness, self-awareness, confidence and personal self-esteem.

Sound educational policy is
based on the need for children to understand their own needs. Pedagogical
methods designed around the 'wellness philosophy' and the 'wellness lifestyle'
are efficient for the purpose of organizing a curriculum around the children's
own needs. On the whole, an effective education would be based on the proper
consideration for the individual's needs for wholeness

holistic
education is based on
faith in the child’s integrity...
integration of the spiritual dimension of human nature .... spiritual
freedom in education... person-centered education... education for optimal human development...
collaboration in the classroom... teachers help learners feel connected...
use real-life experiences

as source of
knowledge...
teacher encourages reflection and inquiry to keep the 'flame of intelligence'
alive... teacher accomodates differences amongst children... bringing out the
unique potential of each ... "The potential of wholistic education is to develop capacity to
reason critically and compassionately, incorporating and transcending dualistic
and suppressed forms of consciousness to achieve a more fully developed mode of
awareness." (Kathleen Kesson. "Critical Theory and Holistic Education: Carrying
on the Conversation" in Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education:
Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times. 109)

"Holistic education returns us to the Latin root meaning of the word
'education' - to lead forth what is naturally within the human being." (Miller
et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and
Ecological Crisis of our Times 11)

Human existence is woven into the fabric of the natural world. -people
create meaning and culture consequently evolves. We interpret our experience
through language and metaphor, and although cultures tend to reify these
interpretations and render them static, it is posssible to develop a critical
consciousness that challenges the hegemony of the dominant culture. This is Purpel's 'prophetic voice'. The major purpose of schooling until now has been to
preserve the hegemony of the established culture to induct each new generation
into the dominant worldview 'banking' (Freire) education. But we can conceive of
education as a genuine community of learning in which new meanings, new
metaphors are generated. -sense of reverence toward nature and life - respect
for diversity, spontaneity and the inherent wisdom of organic growth - it is
essential that we draw on our deepest source of renewal and creativity: the
imagination. The holistic critique calls for an integration of rational,
empirical, analytical modes of knowing with the imaginative and intuitive modes
of knowing(Miller 20-23)

The focus of holistic education is on relationships: between
linear thinking and intuition.. between different domains of knowedge...

themes of holistic education -connection, relatedness, integration in
human experience-the individual person is seen not as an isolated atom but as a
nexus of intrinsic connection to social, cultural, biological, and spiritual
environments.

"We live in an historical period characterized by the rapid disintegration of
accepted value systems and conceptual frameworks. The existential crisis
provoked by such dissolution can inspire the 'recycling of medieval ontologies'
for modern use - leading us to cling to Absolutist philosophies in a desperate
effort to stave off chaos.... The solution from the perspective of a critical
theory, is the development of a reason liberated from the shackles of both
superstition and instrumentalism, a reason capable of incorporatig the
nonrational, suppressed aspects of consciousness without sacrificing its
critical capacity. This I believe is alsothe task of
holistic educators." (Kathleen Kesson in Miller Renewal of
Meaning in Education 102)

Whole system perspective of the human organism as a
social organism The human organism evolved as a social organism...
depends for survival on the proper development of a social brain with
specialised functions of social awareness
and social responsibility... social intelligence... indigenous wisdom
required for adaptation to changing social environment. Development of social
intelligence is a function of holistic learning which involves the
simultaneous development of cognitive faculties and moral consciousness or
'conscience'. Development of conscience depends on education in a social
environment which fosters growth through learning. Learning is natural when it
is based on the intrinsic human need for intellectual and moral or
'spiritual growth' i.e. mature growth or
'self-actualisation'... a function of
the wholistic or 'global' functioning of the brain. The principles of brain
functioning are the fundamental principles of wholistic learning.

The wholistic functioning of the
brain is the basis for fundamental principles of human
development and holistic philosophy of education.

Motivation theory... biological basis of motivation

The growth needs... relationship between needs and
motivation for growth through learning. Deprivation of intrinsic values
(meta-needs)... more perceptual learning to the increase of insight and
understanding, to knowledge of self and to the steady growth of personality,
i.e. increased synergy, integration and inner consistency. Change becomes much
less an acquisition of habits or associations one by one, and much more a total
change of the total person, i.e. a new person rather than the same person with
attributes added. Policies and programs which counteract children's motivation
for learning: Every living child has the inborn right to the psychological and
intellectual personal growth which is needed for a life of health and human
dignity.

Both
physical needs and spritual metaneeds have a biological basis...these needs are
the innate motives which are biologically built into the constitution of the
human species.... instinctive...All the instinctive needs of the human organism
-basic physiological needs, basic psychological needs and spiritual

To resolve problem of motivation stress the importance
of the respect for human needs for growth and development... lower and higher
psychological needs... 'growth needs' ... Wholistic education
is based on biological and psychological needs of the human organism.
Problem of motivation in 'educational crisis'.

Lack of motivation is due to lack of recognition
of needs. Key to motivation is recognition of the developmental needs - needs
and 'metaneeds' - of the human organism.

Human
growth and human needs... importance of cultural environment

The person's intellectual and spiritual needs,...needs
for growth or
'metaneeds'... like the
basic needs, have a biological basis. For their actualization, the
metaneeds require a growth promoting cultural environment. Metamotivation by the
metaneeds can be lost in a culture which does not approve of human nature...
cultural environment which denies them acknowledgement as part of human nature.
A cultural environment which respects the human organism's basic psychological
needs fosters self-actualisation. A cultural
environment which respects the human organism's instinctive 'metaneeds' as well
as basic psychological needs, fosters the individual's 'metamotivation' towards
full human awareness or 'humanness'.

Understanding of the biological nature of the
spiritual needs or 'metaneeds' is of paramount importance to the education of the human organism.
For growth towards fullest humanness, both deficiency needs and growth needs
must be met. Deprivation of the metaneeds during development results in
value-starvation and leads to value-hunger and dehumanization. The failure to
acknowledge the metaneeds for growth constitutes the external cultural force
which deprives the individual of conditions essential to personal growth.
Resulting internal forces of repression, denial and reaction responses inhibit
metamotivation for growth through learning.

Education which is based on respect for human
needs including the
metaneeds is 'holistic education'.

A wholistic education is possible within the context of the worldview of a
wholistic science. It is possible to have a truly meaningful wholistic education
if it is based on the wholistic paradigm and the scientific recognition of the
human inner life. Scientific recognition of the human inner life validates the
necessity of freedom in education.

How improve the quality of education for children so as
to insure their complete intellectual and emotional development? Education for
complete development means that it must be geared to the child's psychic needs
and capacities. Sound psychic development is adversely affected by fear of
extensive punishment, external discipline and the overemphasis of enforced
learning. Fear creates hostility and hypocrisy. Fear paralyzes endeavor and
authenticity of feeling. Fear prevents proper emotional development. Fear of an
inhumane environment prevents proper human development. An environment which is
supportive of the intrinsic needs of the human organism is a humane environment
- one which is conducive to the development of children into mature individuals
with self-discipline, self-confidence and self-responsibility.

The growth needs Every living child
has the inborn right to the psychological and intellectual personal growth which
is needed for a life of health and human dignity. Children do not become human
beings with the attributes of humanity unless provided with the education which
is conducive to their proper psychological development. Political institutions,
including schools and universities, which are committed to people's goals for
wholeness and self-actualization provide the environmental conditions necessary
for fostering personal growth, both emotional and intellecual. A wholistic
approach to education emphasizes the importance of a perspective of the whole
person and the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. The wholistic
approach is relevant to educational policy which fosters the growth and
integrity of children from birth to adulthood. With the proper consideration for
people's needs, many potential social problems are avoided. A wellness lifestyle
enriches life, develops the character as well as the body, increases mental
alertness, self-awareness, confidence and personal self-esteem. Sound
educational policy is based on the need for children to understand their own
health needs. Pedagogical methods designed around the 'wellness philosophy' and
the 'wellness lifestyle' are efficient for the purpose of organizing a
curriculum around the children's own needs. Recognition, acknowledgement and
respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic psychological needs
constitute the external cultural forces which foster metamotivation and growth
towards self-actualization and full humanness or 'experiential richness'. The
capacity for growth through experiential richness is 'teachable'. It is possible
to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the replacement of deficiency with
growth motivation or 'metamotivation'. Education based on the human capacity for
growth motivation incorporates the instinctive human yearnings for goodness,
truth and perfection. It is possible to formulate educational programs on the
basis of the instinctive needs of the human organism to function fully within a
society. In order to foster the human capacity for metamotivation essential for
social intelligence, it is essential that education be designed within the
framework of a wholistic description of the human organism as a social organism.
The aims of education are connected with developmental needs - spiritual
'metaneeds' as well as physiological and psychological needs... Education for the
growth needs of each individual human organism stimulates intrinsic motivation
...fosters growth and results in vision and wisdom...

... relationship between needs and motivation for growth
through learning. Deprivation of intrinsic values (meta-needs)... increase
insight and understanding, knowledge
of self and to the steady growth of personality, i.e. increased synergy,
integration and inner consistency. Change becomes much less an acquisition of
habits or associations one by one, and much more a total change of the total
person, i.e. a new person rather than the same person with attributes added.
Policies and programs which counteract children's motivation for learning:

Depends on favorable social environment or 'education' The lack of proper education hinders
development towards self-realization. It restricts the individual's achievement
of mature adulthood characteristic of the human being and of humanity. Children
do not become human beings with the attributes of humanity unless provided with
the education which is conducive to their proper psychological development.
Political institutions, including schools and universities, which are committed
to people's goals for wholeness and self-actualization provide the environmental
conditions necessary for fostering personal growth, both emotional and
intellecual.

A wholistic approach to education emphasizes the
importance of a perspective of the whole person and the interconnectedness of
body, mind and spirit. The wholistic approach is relevant to educational policy
which fosters the growth and integrity of children from birth to adulthood.
Sound educational policy is based on the need for children to understand their
own health needs

With the proper consideration for people's needs, many
potential social problems are avoided.

A wellness lifestyle enriches life, develops the
character as well as the body, increases mental alertness, self-awareness,
confidence and personal self-esteem. Pedagogical methods designed around the
'wellness philosophy' and the 'wellness lifestyle' are efficient for the purpose
of organizing a curriculum around the children's own needs. Recognition,
acknowledgement and respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic
psychological needs constitute the external cultural forces which foster
metamotivation and growth towards self-actualization and full humanness or
'experiential richness'.

The capacity for growth through experiential richness is
'teachable'. It is possible to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the
replacement of motivation by ego needs - 'deficiency
motivation' - with growth motivation or
'metamotivation'. Education based on
metamotivation incorporates the instinctive human yearnings for goodness, truth
and perfection. It is possible to formulate educational programs on the basis of
the instinctive needs of the human organism to function fully within a society.
In order to foster the human capacity for metamotivation essential for
social intelligence, it is essential that
education be designed within the framework of a of the human organism as a
social organism... 'holistic perspective'.

Knowledge through self-knowledge based on need to
transcend limitations of self-interest aims of education are connected with
developmental needs - spiritual 'metaneeds' as well as physiological and
psychological needs...Education for the growth needs of each individual human
organism stimulates intrinsic motivation ...fosters growth and results in vision
and wisdom...

"If man is to have confidence in values, he must know himself and the
capacity of his nature for goodness and productiveness... Improved
self-knowledge - and clarity of ones values - is coincident with improved
knowledge of others and clarity of their values." (Erich Fromm. Man For Himself l77)

"It has frequently been suggested that the pursuit of self-knowledge is
inherently a selfish one that detracts from an involvement with, and
contribution to, society. However such criticism is not valid inasmuch as the
product of this work is necessarily a transcendence of limited self-interest.
Concern with the general good of one's fellow beings and a desire for harmony
with the broader universe is intrinsic to the work. Eric Schumacher writes: 'It
is a grave error to accuse a man who pursues self-knowledge of 'turning his back
on society.' The opposite would be more nearly true: that a man who fails to
pursue self-knoweldge is and remains a danger to society, for he will tend to
misunderstand everything that other people say or do, and remain blissfully
unaware of the significance of many of the things he does himself. (See Eric
Schumacher A Guide for the Perplexed. New York, Harper and Row, l977) " (Walsh
199)

Connection between growth needs... metaneeds...
intrinsic motivation... normalisation... psychological value of
work...
The biologically based 'metaneeds' come under the rubric of subjective
biology ... Consequently the education of the spiritual needs, the 'metaneeds,'
can be fostered through the acknowledgement, encouragement and enforcement of
the individual's instinctive metaneeds ....yearning for truth, beauty etc. and
the individual's capacity for 'metamotivation' ...spiritual life is instinctoid,
all the techniques of 'subjective biology' apply to its education... human
creativity and productiveness or 'work'.

Holistic education is
socially
responsible education... education for renewal of eroded human values which transcend
economics and are necessary
for responsible action...
education for peace and communion in the world.

Recognition, acknowledgement
and respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic psychological
needs constitute the external cultural forces which foster metamotivation and
growth towards self-actualization and full humanness or 'experiential richness'.
The capacity for growth through experiential richness is 'teachable'. It is
possible to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the replacement of
deficiency with growth motivation or 'metamotivation'. Education based on the
human capacity for growth motivation would incorporate the instinctive human
yearnings for goodness, truth and perfection. It would be possible to formulate
educational programs on the basis of the instinctive needs of the human organism
to function fully within a society. In order to foster the human capacity for
metamotivation essential for social intelligence, it is essential that education
be designed within the framework of a wholistic description of the human
organism as a social organism... includes metaneeds Education which includes the
metaneeds is 'holistic education'. Aim of holistic education is to
foster personal maturity through development of human potential

Education as the fostering of natural human development... Education
is ...should be ...an aid to life. "Not in the service of any political or
social creed should the teacher work, but in the service of the complete
human being, able to exercise in freedom a self-disciplined will and
judgement, unperverted by prejudice and undistorted by fear." Maria Montessori.
To Educate the Human Potential. Adyar, Madras, India: Kalakshetra Publications,
1961.3)

"The discoveries of Rudolf Steiner concerning the interrelationships
of body, soul and spirit represent a new educational paradigm which ...
can provide a secure theoretical and practical foundation for a holistic education that directs itself to educate
the whole person for the whole of life." (Gerald Karnow Educating the
Whole Person for the Whole of Life Holistic Education Review, Spring, 1992)

'Brain-based wholistic education' implies an eductional practice and
pedagogy which is based on natural wholistic learning. Wholistic learning is
natural because it is compatible with the natural functioning of the brain. A
product of millions of years of evolution, the natural learning function of the
brain involves the simultaneous processing of multitudinous stimuli in a complex
environment. An individual naturally perceives reality and learns within the
context of a given physical, social and cultural environment. The individual's
'individuality' is a natural result of the learning process - the 'education' -
which takes place within the context of a cultural environment.

BALANCED PERSONALITY

"In the real mastery of life, there is no suppression of emotion. There
is a direct recognition of the emotional state. This does not mean that
emotion must be suppressed. On the contrary, the emotional state must be
recognized in order to put it in the right perspective. A person who is
master of his own life is committed to doing always what is important to do,
independent of emotional experience. For the development of creative
initiative, the senior force is creation. The emotions must remain
subordinate to the creative process. Louis Pasteur said that " a man of
science may hope for what may be said of him in the future, but he cannot think
of the insults -or the compliments or his own day."" It is important to be true
to yourself and your purpose in life. What is creative behavior? Ask "what
result do I want to create? Focus on the result". Fromm "Man for
Himself" page 76

References:

See Ron Miller, Ph.D... leading activist and scholar in the emerging field of
holistic education, author or editor of eight books, and is currently teaching
at Champlain College in Vermont. For more information see
PathsOfLearning.net
and edrev.org Alternative
Education Resource Organization,
learningalternatives.net International Association for Learning
Alternatives, and great-ideas.org
Holistic Education Press.
"Holistic Education: A response to
the crisis of our time: Holistic education began to
emerge as a coherent philosophy in the mid-1980s and is today becoming
recognized in many parts of the world as an inspiring response to the serious
challenges of this age of globalization, such as violence, cultural
disintegration, and ecological decline. Bringing together the best theory and
practices from diverse educational alternatives, a holistic perspective asserts
that education must start by nourishing the unique potentials of every child,
within overlapping contexts of family, community, society, humanity, and the
natural world. Holistic education is not a fixed ideology but an open-ended
attempt to embrace the complexity and wholeness of human life. Holistic
educators reject the current obsession with educational uniformity: rigid
standards, relentless testing, and authoritarian control of the learning process.
Holistic education is essentially a democratic education, concerned with both
individual freedom and social responsibility. It is education for a culture of
peace, for sustainability and ecological literacy, and for the development of
humanity’s inherent morality and spirituality. This website (Paths of Learning)
features the work of Dr. Ron Miller, one of the leading pioneers in the field of
holistic education, and provides connections to other resources that are
available to parents, educators, researchers and policymakers."

David Purpel, 1989. The Moral and Spiritual Crisis in Education: A
Curriculum for Justice and Compassion in Education. Masschusetts, Bergin and
Garvey Publishers, Inc. Walsh Beyond Ego: Transpersdonal Dimensions in
Psychology

Holistic education is person-centered education

CONNECTION BETWEEN HIERARCHY OF NEEDS (SUBJECTIVE BIOLOGY) AND INTRINSIC
MOTIVATION (DESIGN OF CURRICULUM) It should be possible to design an educational
curriculum around the instinctive needs of 'subjective biology' - the metaneeds
as well as the basic physiological and psychological needs. The curriculum would
be based on children's instinctive motivation to satisfy the basic needs for
self-respect and self-esteem in the process of self-actualization. The
curriculum would include opportunities for experiential enrichment through
metamotivation to satisfy metaneeds. Children are naturally curious. Children
are intrinsically motivated by their curiosity, Curiosity is the source of the
motivation which comes from within - 'intrinsic motivation'. Children depend for
their continued motivation on adult approval. 'Brain-based wholistic education'
implies an eductional practice and pedagogy which is based on natural wholistic
learning. Wholistic learning is natural because it is compatible with the
natural functioning of the brain. A product of millions of years of evolution,
the natural learning function of the brain involves the simultaneous processing
of multitudinous stimuli in a complex environment. An individual naturally
perceives reality and learns within the context of a given physical, social and
cultural environment. The individual's 'individuality' is a natural result of
the learning process - the 'education' - which takes place within the context of
a cultural enviroment.

Quotations:

"The extreme form of rational ideology is the
debasement of nature and the total
alienation of man from nature. Hitler's
rejection of Enlightenment reason and exaltation of nature....
"Hitler appealed to the unconscious in his audiences by hinting that he could
forge a power in whose name repressed nature would be lifted. In this way,
repressed natural drives were harnessed to the needs of Nazi
rationalism. To debase thought and exalt nature is a typical fallacy of
an era of rationalization. Opposing the Enlightenment by regressing to earlier
stages (Horkheimer Eclipse of Reason NY: Oxford University Press) will not
alleviate the permament crises we have created, but can lead to ever more
barbaric forms of social domination. Likewise we are cautioned against the
revival of past theories of objective reason. We live in an historical period
characterized by the rapid disintegration of accepted value systems and
conceptual frameworks. The existential crisis provoked by such dissolution can
inspire the 'recycling of medieval ontologies' for modern use - leading us to
cling to Absolutist philosophies in a desperate effort to stave off chaos.
...The solution from the perspective of a critical theory, is the development of
a reason liberated from the shackles of both superstition and instrumentalism, a
reason capable of incorporatig the nonrational, suppressed aspects of
consciousness without sacrificing its critical capacity. This I believe is also
the task of holistic educators." (Kathleen Kesson. "Critical
Theory and Holistic Education: Carrying on the Conversation" in Miller et
al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and
Ecological Crisis of our Times. p.102)

references:

Ron Miller Ph.D. Editor Holistic Education Review What
are Schools For? Holistic Education in American Culture "...a powerfuol
exposition and critique of the historical context and cultural/philosophical
foundations of contemporary mainstream American education. It focuses on the
diverse group of personcentered educators of the past two centuries and explores
their current relevance to the new challenges facing education in the post-industrial
age."

New Directions in Education: Selections from Holistic
Education Review "A finely tuned selection of over thirty articles from the
first ten issues of Holistic Education Review, most of which are no longer in
print. They are listed under five major themes: philosophical foundations, a
global perspective, rethinking some old problems, new goals for education,
holistic education in practice. It also includes original introductory essays by
editor Ron Miller, as well as a holistic education glossary and reading list."

Enhanced learning depends on teaching based on knowledge of brain functioning.

TEACHING
FOR MAP LEARNING OR 'THEMATIC TEACHING'

Thematic teaching is powerful and effective because
it integrates learning with life.

"Thematic teaching involves the perception and creation of 'thematic maps'
which are themes in 'mental space,' mental representations of interactive
relationships. An effective teacher elicits the learner's intrinsic motivation.
Locale learning, or map learning, is a brain-based learning process of the
brain's spatial memory system. Motivated by the innate need to make sense of
experience the brain is activated globally. The senses and emotions are
stimulated as well as the intellect. Learning activities engage a wide range of
neurons in different areas of the brain and there is little stress on specific
groups of neurons. Teaching 'to the brain' or 'thematic' teaching is based on
the recognition and understanding of brain-based learning. Unifying themes are
used to understand the relationships between subjects. Boundaries between
subjects are crossed. Specific items, events, concepts or issues are studied
within the context of the different subject areas. Understanding of the subject
areas is facilitated. Teachers' lesson plans are designed to motivate the
learners. Evaluation is complex and integrated with the learning process.
Engaging their natural brain-based curiosity, learners become intrinsically
motivated and deeply involved. Learning becomes a creative process, and a source
of joy and excitement. With an increased understanding of issues in different
contexts learners will remember the learned information for a long time and be
able to apply it to new learning situations. Teaching methodologies for
brain-based learning recognize the emotional and instinctive needs which are
associated with intellectual concepts. They spell out the need to acknowledge
information on brain functioning in designing the curriculum encourage holistic
brain-based approaches because they acknowledge the brain's ability to relate
vast amounts of information to what is already 'in' the learner through the
identification of patterns and relationships among the sciences, humanities and
the arts. With a shift in paradigm to a systems approach, it becomes possible to
view the learning process in all its complexity. Improvements in educational
theory result in effective methodologies such as thematic teaching,
whole-language approaches to literacy, and the integration of the curriculum.
Research in the neurosciences challenges some strongly held beliefs: "The brain
does not separate emotions from cognition, either anatomically or perceptually.""the
belief that teaching can be separated into the cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor domains." "the notion that learning must take place through rote
memorization," the idea of "teaching to behavioural objectives (as it) ignores
other functions of the brain and other aspects of memory and learning." The
emphasis on facts and outcomes may prevent real understanding and the transfer
of learning. (vii) (Geoffrey Caine and Renate Numella Caine Making
Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain.Alexandria, Virginia: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1991.)

What is learning? The learning process is a natural
function of the brain. The brain's function is to search for meaning in
experience and to 'make sense' of unfamiliar stimuli or 'learn'. Human learning
is an instinctive survival oriented capacity which evolved as a vehicle for
behavioural adaptation to the changes of social environments. Social adaptation
depends on a process of growth through creative learning which involves the
emotions as well as the intellect. The need to make sense of experience
stimulates the desire to know or 'curiosity'. Curiosity is naturally stimulated
by challenge and complexity and elicits motivation which is intrinsic to the
organism i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation or 'self-motivation'
is the basis for the deep involvement which is characteristic of the creative
process. Learning experiences which engage the brain's natural potential for
creativity are a source of excitement and joy.

The new cognitive paradigm: cognition is a
function of physiological processes The attention of educators is being
drawn away from the traditional paradigm of the behavioural sciences and towards
the findings of brain research or 'neuroscience'.
Over the past several decades the science of the brain or 'neurobiology'
has merged with the science of the mind or 'psychology' to produce the
new science of
'psychobiology'. Psychobiology is concerned with the biological basis of the
mental functions of learning or 'cognition'.The process of
cognition is a natural function of the brain involving the continuity of
information from one part of the brain to another i.e.
'information flow'. Information flow involves physiological functions such
as the propagation of electrochemical signals or
'nerve impulses' along nerve cells or 'neurons'
and their transmission across the interconnections between them, the
'synapses'. Modification of synaptic connections -
'synapse modification' - results in changes in existing neural networks and
the creation of new ones. This accounts for the brain's potential for change or
'neuroplasticity'. The physiological functions of learning constitute the
basis of mental functioning or 'mind': interrelated processes of
remembering, separating, organizing, comparing, integrating and evaluating
mental data i.e. 'analysis'; detecting relationships and making
connections i.e. 'synthesis'. Analysis and synthesis occur simultaneously
in a natural mental process of 'immersion' in which new learning
experiences are embedded in the totality of previous experience and connnections
are made between new information and information which has already been
processed. Application of principles of brain functioning to learning
theory results in the creation of new concepts for the so-called 'cognitive
paradigm' of teaching. Teaching involves the orchestrated integration of
different learning experiences.

'Natural learning' or 'experiential
learning' is brain-based learning' Teaching methods of the cognitive
paradigm are confluent with the brain's rules for learning i.e. 'brain-based
learning'. Brain-based learning is defined in terms of the natural function
of the brain: to 'make sense' of unfamiliar stimuli... to 'search for
meaning' in experience i.e. natural learning' or 'experiential
learning'. The brain is a natural 'meaning maker' with an instinctive
urge to make sense of experience or 'understand' i.e. 'curiosity'.
Curiosity is a survival oriented capacity which is naturally stimulated by
challenge and complexity and elicits motivation which is intrinsic to the
organism i.e.
'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation or 'self-motivation'
activates optimal functioning of the brain i.e. 'optimal learning' or
'optimalearning'. Optimal learning accounts for the deep involvement
which characterises the creative process.

Global functioning of the brain... natural
capacity for 'holistic perception'The brain's
function as meaning maker is a natural physiological process of information
processing which
involves
the interdependent
activity...the interactivity... of the left and
right
cerebral hemispheres. The
cerebral
hemispheresinteractvia the
'corpus
collosum'.
It is the
interaction... the
interconnectednessof the
specialized hemispheres which allows for the
integral functioning of the brain.
The
integrated functioning of the cerebral hemispheres
is the
basis for the global
or 'holistic'
functioning of the brain.
The
brain is activated as a whole.In its
attempt to make meaning of the environment, the brain responds 'holistically'
to environmental stimuli, perceivingand
creating connections betweenparts
and the whole. Its
natural capacity to make connections... to perceive and
process parts and wholes simultaneously
i.e
'holistic perception'.
Holistic perception results in the interaction of parts and
wholes - the parts containing
the
whole and the whole containing
the parts. As a
result of the
brain's natural capacity for holistic perception,
its
activity as a whole adds up to more than the sum of its parts
in the form of
characteristic 'emergent properties' such as 'moral consciousness'
or 'conscience' - the human 'soul'. The human conscience
evolved as a vehicle for behavioural adaptation of the human organism as a
social organism i.e. 'adaptability'.

The understanding
of 'emergent properties' of the brain is of significance to holistic
brain-based learning theory.

Human adaptability as social adaptability
depends on moral consciousness or
'conscience'.The human organism is a social organism and
human adaptability is social adaptability which depends on cultivation of the
capacity for accurate evaluation of the social environment leading to effective
decision-making and successful adaptation
i.e. 'social
intelligence. Social intelligence is a function
of 'mature growth' or
'self-actualisation'. Self-actualisation
is a function ofthe
unfolding of human 'values for living' - the 'social values' or 'morals'
i.e. 'moral intelligence' or 'morality'.
Morality is the human moral faculty
which depends on motivation by the
'metaneeds' i.e.
'metamotivation'. Metamotivation engages development of 'conscience'
which depends on creativity and productivity or
'work'. Meaningful work is the vehicle for growth motivation or 'self-actualisation'
which involves the harmonisation of psychic forces - emotions and intellect -
and frees the individual from the limitations of the 'ego-life' allowing
them to live in the spiritual realm of human existence i.e. 'ego-transcendance'.
Ego-transcendance is prerequisite to effective socialisation.

Thematic teaching is based on the recognition and understanding of the global
functioning of the brain. The use of global themes as organizers of meaning
stimulates the brain to make connections. The brain is activated 'globally'. The
physiological basis for global activation is the interactivity of the two
cerebral hemispheres. The activation of the brain's natural function of global
learning is the basis for brain-based learning or 'optimal learning'. Optimal
learning the learner is stimulated to make optimal use of the brain's natural
... capacity to make connections... use to full advantage the natural function
of the brain as meaning maker.. In order to maximize optimal learning, the
teacher functions in the integration or 'orchestration' of all learning
experiences. New learning experiences are embedded in the totality of previous
experience in the natural mental process of 'immersion'. The immersion process
involves formation of associations between each new piece of information
processed by the brain with the rest of the learner's current and past learning
experiences. To ignore the brain's global functioning is to reduce its capacity
to make connections and understand relationships.
Thematic teaching methods teach to the brain's natural potential to thrive on
complexity. They teach to the natural function of the brain as a pattern
detector which perceives parts and wholes simultaneously. A complex and rigorous
content becomes intellectually challenging if it is presented in a meaningful
context. The learner is stimulated to make optimal use of the brain's natural
capacity to make connections.. .to integrate new experience with learned
experience... to see global relationships, to extract meaningful patterns...
interrelationships ... to perceive the 'patterns which connect'. Learning is
focused on the brain's natural capacities of comparing, patterning and
categorizing which stimulate its capacity for making connections. The learner
analyses a contextual reality and recognizes connections between the various
components so that they can be perceived as different dimensions of a total
reality. This learning methodology is confluent with the brain's natural
capacity for the simultaneous perception of parts and wholes or 'holistic
perception'.
The brain's capacity for holistic perception can be represented in terms of
themes in mental space or 'thematic maps'. Thematic maps can be used to
integrate the various experiences in different learning contexts such as the
classroom, the school, the local community, the national community and the
global community. With understanding of issues in meaningful contexts - for
example, historical and political themes in the context of current events - the
learner is able to apply what they learn to new learning situations. The
emphasis on understanding themes in real life contexts makes the subject matter
meaningful and creates new depth. Opposites and dualisms can be made to
disappear and illogical paradoxes and dichotomies can be resolved. In this way
problematic situations can be made challenging and motivation for learning can
be enhanced

Pedagogies based on the stimulation of intrinsic motivation are compatible with
the natural functioning of the brain or 'brain-compatible'. Brain
compatible pedagogies are based on the recognition and encouragement of the
brain's natural potential for complex learning. They recognize the emotional
dimensions of learning and teach for knowledge that makes sense to the learner
i.e. meaningful knowledge or 'natural knowledge'. Natural knowledge results from
the brain's capacity to organize information on the basis of its recognition of
patterns. The brain is a pattern detector which can perceive interactive
relationships or 'themes'. Teaching which focuses on themes
as organizers is 'thematic teaching'. Thematic teaching involves the
organization of subject matter around central unifying themes or 'global themes'.
Global themes are based on essential concepts that have universal application
and used as organizers of meaning for understanding content. The scope of a
theme is larger than the scope of a subject. Use of themes makes it possible to
introduce material from other subject area and from real life experience. In
this way the different subject areas can be related to each other and learning
be made meaningful in a real life context. The integration of learning with life
is the basis for the power and effectiveness of thematic teaching. Learning
which focuses themes capitalizes on the brain's instinctive drive to make sense
of unfamiliar stimuli and thus derive meaning from experience.

Teaching to the brain: curriculum designThe brain's capacity for holistic perception can be represented in terms of
themes in mental space or 'thematic
maps'. Thematic maps integrate the various experiences in different learning
contexts... family, school, local community, national community, global
community. The understanding of issues in meaningful contexts - such as political
history in the context of current events - makes it possible to apply what is
learned to new learning situations. Emphasis on understanding of themes in real
life contexts creates new depth and makes for meaningful subject matter. When
presented in a meaningful context, complex and rigorous content becomes
intellectually challenging. Motivation for learning is enhanced. Learning is
focused on the brain's natural capacities for comparing, patterning and
categorizing which stimulate its capacity to make connections, to integrate new
experience with learned experience, to see global relationships, to extract
meaningful patterns, to perceive interrelationships as the 'patterns which
connect'. The learner analyses a contextual reality and recognizes
connections between the various components so that they can be perceived as
different dimensions of a total reality. This learning methodology is confluent
with the brain's natural capacity for the simultaneous perception of parts and
wholes. With 'holistic
perception' opposites and dualisms disappear so
that illogical paradoxes and dichotomies can be resolved and problematic
situations become creative opportunities. To ignore the brain's global
functioning is to reduce its capacity to make connections and understand
relationships.

Thematic teaching: learning is made
meaningful in real life contexts based on the stimulation of 'intrinsic
motivation' are compatible with the natural functioning of the brain. They
are 'brain-compatible'. Brain compatible pedagogies are based on the
recognition and encouragement of the brain's natural potential for complex
learning. They recognize the emotional dimensions of learning and teach for
knowledge that makes sense to the learner i.e. 'meaningful knowledge' or
'natural knowledge'. Natural knowledge results from the brain's capacity
to organize information on the basis of its recognition of patterns. The brain is a pattern detector which simultaneouslyperceives 'parts
and wholes... 'interactive relationships'or central unifying 'themes'.Teaching
which focuses on themes is 'thematic teaching'. Thematic teaching
is based on the understanding of the global functioning of the brain. They teach
to the natural function of the brain as a pattern detector. They teach to the
brain's natural potential to thrive on complexity. They capitalize on the
brain's instinctive drive to make sense of unfamiliar stimuli and thus derive
meaning from experience. Thematic teaching involves the organization of subject
matter around 'global themes' based on essential concepts that have
universal application and used as 'organizers of meaning' for
understanding content. The scope of the theme is always larger than the scope of
the subject making it possible to connect with content other subject areas. In
this way the different subject areas can be related to each other and learning
be made meaningful in the context of real life experience. The integration
of learning with life through the use of 'global themes' stimulates the
brain to make connections or 'create'.Learning
experiences which engage the brain's natural potential for creativity are a
source of excitement and joy. Therein lies the power and effectiveness of thematic
teaching.

"Dee Dickinson, "Successful Learning for the 21st century"
from On the Beam, Winter l990, New Horizons for Learning )(a non-profit
international human resources network organized in l980 as a clearinghouse for
sucessful innovations in teching and learning.)

TRUE FREEDOM AS FREEDOM FOR CREATIVITY AND
PRODUCTIVENESS OR 'WORK': THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
VALUE OFMEANINGFUL WORK

Holistic education is
'responsible education' for 'responsible freedom' for natural educational
goalsas the freedom for
creativity and productiveness or 'work'. Natural work behaviour is a
particularly human phenomenon which represents the medium for oneness...
connectedness with the environment and the reality of life. Work is meaningful
if it engages the development of personality integration... or 'wholeness'.
Through the medium of meaningfulwork the person grows in psychological maturity.
This is the 'psychological value' of work. Fulfillment of human
potentiality and achievement of integration with oneself and one's
environment...
happiness.

"Child play is the child's work... Children who have been prevented from
developing fully often show character traits that disappear when they become
normalized through work; a common one is possessiveness. In the normalised
child his freedom to take interest in all kinds of things leads to his
focusing his attention not on the things themselves but on the knowledge he
derives from them". (Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind page
219)

Work
as 'work behaviour'is a characteristicaly
human phenomenon. Work behaviour is a
natural aspect of human behaviour. The human capacity for work is an aspect of
human behaviour which is closely related to the development of the personality
i.e. 'personal development'. Work is the medium for oneness with the
environment. Work represents one's connection with the environment and the
reality of life. Work
behaviour
is functional within the context of of
natural educational goals. In the context of goalswork is functional in personal growth
and development. The ability to work is an important aspect of the individual
throughout life... succeeding by one's own efforts and at the same time being
in contact with the reality of life which work represents, enhances the
integrity of the personality.Work which involves the total
personality is 'meaningful work' and has psychological value.

Freud on work as a human phenomenon: "After primal man had discovered
that it lay in his own hands, literally, to improve his lot on earth by
working, it cannot have been a matter of indifference to him whether another
man worked with him or against him. The other man acquired the value for him
of a fellow worker, with whom it was useful to live together." (Sigmund
Freud. Civilization and Its Discontents. standard ed., vol. 21, London: Hogarth Press, 1953 p. 59.)

Work which engages the
total personality and involves the development of human potentialities is
authentic, productive and creative or 'adaptive' and therefore 'meaningful'.Work is 'meaningful' if it
engages the personality as a whole and is functional in personal growth and
development of human potentiality.If work does not involve the total
personality, then it is not functional in personal development. It is
considered to have little 'formative' value and becomes meaningless.

Normalisation through
work... Work is a naturalaspect of human behaviour which is
closely related to the development of the personality... functional in
personal growth and development i.e. normal growth or 'normalisation'...
Work is a fundamental feature of the human being as a species, and an
adaptive, creative, and social function.... It is one of the main spheres of
human behavior. The ability to work is an aspect of the development of the
personality with which it is interrelated. Work behavior in the development of
the personality is functional within the context of goals.

With work which is
meaningful to the child at the different developmental sensitive periods, the
child grows up with an increasing capacity to act independently and
responsibly. If children, and adults, behave irresponsibly, the fault lies not
with them but with the 'education' which they have been offered. Work is the medium for oneness with the
environment. Work represents one's connection with the environment and the
reality of life. The integrity of the personality is enhanced by personal
success through personal efforts at the same time as being in contact with the
reality of life which work represents. Meaningful
work represents harmonious contact with the reality of life i.e. contentment
derived from personal achievement or 'happiness'.Happiness in work
is the expression of the individual's creative and productive interaction with
the immediate environment. As an aspect of human behaviour which represents
connectedness or oneness with the environment, work behaviour is an
expression of
'adaptability'. Meaningful work is the expression of connectedness
with the environment necessary for responsiveness to change... successful
adaptation or
'adaptability'. Human adaptability depends on psychologicallly valuable
work... 'work with love'. Meaningful work has psychological value
because it is relevant to life. Adaptability through work is a characteristic
of 'mental health'. The healthy or 'normalised' - 'normal'
- personality expresses itself in the freedom of its work activity. The
individual's attention is engaged to such a degree that their whole
personality is involved and the work becomes a free expression of their true
nature i.e.
'human nature'. Human nature is defined by the human motives for learning
or
'human needs'. These include the 'spiritual needs' for spiritual
growth i.e.
'metaneeds'. Metaneeds are functional in the process of natural spiritual
growth and development which occurs with meaningful work. This
'psychological value of work' involves development of the total
personality.

Meaningful work is based on optimal
functioning of the brain i.e. 'optimal learning' or 'optimalearning'.

"The 'normalized'
child's activities of work (are) related to the inner construction of the
personality. The motivation to learn derives from this source. Teaching which
corresponds to this motivation is functional in the child's development. The
child's response is the best guide for the teacher. The child's interest and
concentration indicates the extent of effectiveness of the teaching
methodology in opractice. The child loses motivation when the work is directed
to an external goal.

"Man's purpose in life is to improve his lot.... This requires an
intrinsic relation between himself and his environment.... Man discovers that
it is only through his own activity with his intelligence, his hands and his
tools that he can change his environment to meet his survival needs..Work is a
human phenomenon. The ability to work is an aspect of the development of the
human personality...work and personality development are interrelated. Work is
one of the main spheres of human behavior. Work is an adaptive, creative, and
a social function par excellence.." (MariaMontessori)

"The first essential for the child's development is concentration. It
lays the whole basis for his character and social behavior. He must find out
how to concentrate, and for this he needs things to concentrate upon. This
shows the importance of his surroundings, for no acting on the child from
outside can cause him to concentrate. Only the child can organize his own
psychic life. None of us can do it for him. It is is here that the importance
of our schools lies. They are places in which the child can find the kind of
work that permits him to do this."(The
Absorbent Mind p.222)

"What is to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads
pulled from your heart, as if your beloved were to wear this cloth. It is to
build a house with affection, as if your beloved were to live in this house.
It is to sow the seeds with tenderness and gather the harvest with joy, as if
your beloved were to eat the fruit. It is to put in all things that you make,
a breath of your own spirit." (Kahlil Gibran The Prophet 1883-1931)

Personality development is a function of the development of moral
consciousness or
'conscience'.

Normal growth or 'normalisation'
results from work which is meaningful because it engages personality growth
and development of 'moral consciousness' or
'conscience' i.e.
'moral development'.

Conscience is the source of 'human
values' which define the nature of the human personality or
'human nature'. Development of conscience is required for normal
socialisation i.e.
'social intelligence'. Social intelligence depends on education for growth
and development of the human potential for intelligence as 'creative
intelligence'. Creative intelligence is enhanced by personal success
through personal efforts of creativity and productivity or 'work'.

Conscience is a function of the
integrity of the personality which is enhanced by personal success through
personal efforts or meaningful 'work'.
Meaningful work ('labour of love') is the medium of connectedness with the
environment which allows for development of human potentiality and personality
integration or 'normalization'. Normalization is a function of normal
development through authentic work and the harmonious contact with the reality
of life which it represents i.e. contentment or 'happiness'. Happiness is a
function of integrity which is the prerequisite to social adaptability i.e.
socialization or
'social intelligence'. Social intelligence for social adaptability depends
on development of integrity through the medium of meaningful work. This is the psychological value of work.
Work which is psychologcally valuable engages the individual's attention to
such a degree that their whole personality is involved. Engagement of the
personality leads to meaningful work as the free expression of their nature
i.e. 'human nature'... human nature in the realm of spiritual needs for
spiritual growth i.e. 'metaneeds'. Metaneeds can be met on condition of
fulfilment of basic physiological and psychological requirement or 'needs'.
Spiritual growth is a function of spiritual development through the medium of
meaningful work. The ability to work is an aspect of
the development of the personality, with which it is interrelated.

Function of work in the growing child: critical developmental periods or
'sensitive periods'

In the growing child, motivation from within - intrinsic motivation - is
manifest at certain developmental critical periods or 'sensitive periods'
which end when the function of work is performed.

... in "aiding the child's development in its sensitive periods"...devise
materials which would meet the recognizable needs of the child during various
sensitive period ...Material added to the environment is stimulating to the
child. If it has always been there it becomes part of the scenery and is not
noticed...

In the normal growth and development of
the child, motivation for work is from within or 'intrinsic' to the
organism i.e.
'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation - a biologically based
function of the 'prefrontal
lobes' of the human
'brain' - is particularly evident at certain critical developmental
periods or 'sensitive periods' which are ended when the function of
work is achieved. Work which involves the whole personality is meaningful to
the child at the different developmental sensitive periods.

If the sensitive periods are not hindered
by inner anxieties resulting from repressive pedagogies, then the intensive
attraction to the environmment continues to be mediated through the
individual's authentic striving to work... With meaningful work,the
child continues to be intensively attracted to... interested in the
environment...and their concentration continues to be enhanced through their
authentic striving to work...

Child play is the child's 'work'. Work
which involves the whole personality is meaningful to the child at the
different developmental sensitive periods. With meaningful work, the child
grows up with an increasing capacity to act independently and responsibly.
This is work for growth in independence and responsibility.
Through one's connection with the environment, the individual grows to
psychological maturity and fulfillment of human potentiality and achievement
of happiness which is integration with oneself and one's environment .

Depending on the extent to which they are
allowed to pursue their own interests, children strive to become adults within
the confines of Children strive to
become adults in the context of the
possibilities provided by their environment…
within the confines of the environmental conditions the 'learning environment' or 'education'
which is offered to them with which they
are provided.

Children strive for self-realization through interaction with their
immediate environment through work - becoming one with their environment.
They instinctively strive to achieve their personal aims for self-realization
and self-integration through meaningful work.

Intrinsic motivation for work and happiness through self-realization is
biologically based... function of the development of the human brain -
specifically the prefontal lobes. The fully developed personality is a natural
by product of the experience of growth and freedom within a community in which
effective learning is driven by the need for self-initiated personal
development toward personal integrity and spiritual maturity.

The driving force behind this
continuous motivation is rooted in the insinct for self-preservation i.e.
eagerness to learn or 'curiosity'.

'Curiosity'
as eagerness to learn is an instinctive 'learning emotion' rooted in the
instinct for 'self-preservation'.Curiosity is a function of the attention on
the environment in order to acquire the 'knowledge' which can be
derived from itrequired for effective
adaptation. Curiosity is the driving force behind continuous motivation or
'drive' which enhances the eagerness to learn. Education which
allows the individual the freedom to take an interest in the environment...
which enhances their
'curiosity' is 'responsible education'.

Work which does not engage personality development is meaningless and
'non-adaptive' If work does not
involve the individual's personal development, then it is not engaged in the
development of potentiality and it is inauthentic and becomes meaningless. Meaningless work is inauthentic, non-creative,
non-productive, irrelevant to life and therefore 'non-adaptive'. Meaningless
work inhibits development of integrity and encourages development of
egocentrism, possessiveness, greed and other asocial character traits which
disappear with 'normalisation' through authentic work. It
is meaningless work which is the source of declining motivation and the cause
of the so-called 'educational
crisis'.

The
motivation for work in the process of self-actualisation is the source of
happiness. Education which allows for
the 'pursuit of happiness' in the freedom to work is 'responsible
education' which fosters growth in independence and responsibility i.e.
'self-empowerment'. The fully 'empowered' personality is a natural
product of the experience of growth and development in the context of
education which allows for the freedom to work.

"To know, to love, and to serve is the trinomial of all religions, but
the child is the true maker of our spirituality. He teaches us the plan of
nature for giving form to our conduct and character, a plan fully traced out
in all its details of age and work, with its need for freedom and intense
activity in accordance with the laws of life. What matters is not physics, or
botany, or works of the hand, but the will, and the components of the human
spirit which construct themselves bywork.The child is
the spiritual builder of mankind, and obstacles to his free development
are the stones in the wall by which the soul of man has become imprisoned."
(Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind 221)

The striving towards self-realization is
genetically based.

Intrinsic motivation for work and happiness through self-realization is
biologically based... function of the development of the human brain -
specifically the prefontal lobes.

The fully developed personality is a natural by product of the experience
of growth and freedom within a community in which effective learning is driven
by the need for self-initiated personal development toward self-realization
or 'self-actualization'... personal integrity and spiritual maturity.

Children's continued development
into independent and mature personalities depends on the responsible guidance
of the adult...i.e. on a 'responsible education'.

Education for self-actualisation is 'responsible education'
for 'responsible freedom'

Education for the freedom to work is
education for happiness derived from work as personal achievement...
'responsible education'.

Responsible education is
education for humanity and the human values of respect for others and for
one's environment. If human individuals behave irresponsibly, the fault lies
with the irresponsible education which they have been offered. The recognition
of the psychological value of work... the significant role of meaningful work
in human psychological development is the basis for the organisation of
schools for humanity.. of responsible education which is education for
responsible freedom.

Meaningful work as a highly significant
factor in human development is the basis for the new teaching paradigm. Future
schools 'for humanity' offer 'responsible education' for
'responsible freedom'. Responsible freedom entails a sense of
responsibility to oneself as well as to the community... depends on
responsible education of the person as a whole or 'holistic
education'. Holistic education is education for psychological, emotional,
intellectual, spiritual, moral development... responsible education.

Responsible education is education for
natural educational goals - the freedom to work or 'responsible freedom'.
Responsible freedom is based on the psychological value of work - the kind of
work which involves the development of human potentiality and the personality.

Responsible education
is a long and indirect process of preparation for a life of freedom as an
independent and mature adult living by the values which are the special
attributes of full personality development - the values of respect for
oneself, for others and for one's environment. The effective teacher becomes
'facilitator of learning'. The teacher as facilitator is an independent
and mature adult living by the values which are the special
'attributes' of full personality development. The facilitative
teacher accepts the responsibilities of education as a long and indirect
process of preparation for a life of freedom with respect for others and for
their environment.

If human individuals behave
irresponsibly, the fault lies not with them but with the education which they
have been offered.

Implications for education... In the context of natural educational goals,
work behaviour
is functional in the development of the personality.real aim of
education is personality development through work Real
aim of education is not the imparting of knowledge for the sake of the
knowledge itself. Rather, it is to encourage learning, because learning is a feature of human development.
The need for learning cannot be met without education. Aim of education is the
proper - balanced - development of the personality. Education
- from the beginning of life - plays a fundamental role in the development of
the personality.

The integrity of the personality is
enhanced by personal success through personal efforts at the same time as
being in contact with the reality of life which work represents. Pedagogical
methods which take this natural striving for work into consideration are
successful in helping the child reach his human potential for
self-realization. Educators can help children in the natural stages of human
development by offering environmental stimuli which stimulate their inner
potentialities at different stages of their development. This is the
psychological value of work - as the medium for oneness with the environment,
the human being can grow to psychological maturity and fulfill his human
potential and achieve happiness- integration with himself and his environment.

Organization of schools for humanity depends
on the recognition of the psychological value of work in human psychological
development. Children
themselves can guide us in the planning of environments which will
help them grow into mature human beings who live by the values which are the
special attributes of the human
organism.

Freedom in education means freedom to work
and freedom to learn. Freedom to work requires organization.
Freedom without organization is not conducive to work or to learning. Freedom
to learn precludes teacher praises, prizes, punishments or corrections.
Teacher interference lowers the child's energies and interests. Mistakes are
functional in growth and development. Learning is a function of correcting
one's own mistakes. A child naturally learns from his errors and naturally
corrects his own mistakes. Errors have a function in science, the human
activity of acquiring knowledge. Scientific measurements are always
appproximatiions and account for margins of error. Calculation of margins of
error account for the value of scientific measurement. In order to correct
mistakes, one must first know how to identify them. Denial of error makes it
impoosible to identify and correct mistakes. Inability to admit one's mistakes
removes the possibility of improvement and correction. impossible to think
rationally. Making errors is not as important as becoming aware that one is
making an error. Errors which are not identified and corrected are
repeated. Children in their work should have a way to identify and correct
their own mistakes. Failure to correct errors results in illusion and
distoted perception of reality.(Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind

References:

Walter Neff. Work and Human Behavior. New York:
Atherton Press, 1968

Maria Montessori

Work is a particularly human phenomenon. The human capacity for work is a
natural aspect of human behaviour which is closely related to the development
of the personality. If work does not involve the total personality, then it is
not functional in personal development. It is considered to have little
'formative' value and becomes meaningless. Work which is meaningful involves
the total personality and work which involvesthe total personality is
functional in personal development. This is the psychological value of work.
In the growing child, motivation from within - intrinsic motivation - is
manifest at certain developmental critical periods or 'sensitive periods'
which end when the function of work is performed. If the sensitive periods are
not hindered by inner anxieties resulting from repressive pedagogies, then
the intensive attraction to the environmment continues to be mediated through
the individual's authentic striving to work.Child play is the child's 'work'.

The 'normalized' child's activities of work (are) related to the inner
construction of the personality. The motivation to learn derives from this
source. Teaching which corresponds to this motivation is functional in the
child's development. The child's response is the best guide for the teacher.
The child's interest and concentration indicates the extent of effectiveness
of the teaching methodology in opractice. The child loses motivation when the
work is directed to an external goal. Teaching for external goals is not
functional in the child's development. Education - from the beginning of life
- plays a fundamental role in the development of the personality. Aim of
education is the proper - balanced - development of the personality. Man's
purpose in life is to improve his lot. This reuires an intrinsic relation
between himself and his environment. Man discovers that it is only through his
own activity with his intelligence, his hands and his tools that he can change
his environment to meet his survival needs. "Work is a fundamental feature of
the human being as a species, and an adaptive , creative, and social function
par excellence....It is one of the ain spheres of human behavior. The ability
to work is an aspect of the development of the personality, with which it is
interrelated. Work behavior in the development of the personality is
functional within the context of goals. Child play is the child's work. lity
is meaningful to the child at the different developmental sensitive periods.
With meaningful work, the child grows up with an increasing capacity to act
independently and responsibly. This is work for growth in independence and
responsibility. Work is the medium for oneness with the environment. Work
represents one's connection with the environment and the reality
of life. The integrity of the personality is enhanced by personalsuccess
through personal efforts at the same time as being in contact with the reality
of life which work represents. Through one's connection with the environment,
the individual growsto psychological maturity and fulfillment of human
potentiality and achievement of happiness which is integration with oneself
and one's environment. Children strive to become adults in the context of the
possibilities provided by their environment. Achieving adulthood is achieving
self-realization. Children strive for self-realization through interaction
with their immediate environment through work - becoming one with their
environment. They strive to achieve their personal aims for
self-realization... within the confines of the environmental conditions which
are provided...i.e within the context of their environment. The striving
towards self-realization is geneticallybased. The fully developed personality
is a natural by product of the experience of growth and freedom within a
community in which effective learning is driven by the need for
self-initiatedpersonal development toward self-actualization or
self-realization. Children's continued development into independent and
mature personalities depends on the responsible guidance of the adult...i.e.
on a responsible 'education'.

Responsible education is a long and indirect process of preparation for a
life of freedom as an independent and mature adult living by the values which
are the special attributes of full personality development - the values of
respect for others and for one's environment. If human individuals behave
irresponsibly,the fault lies not with them but with the education which they
have been offered. The recognition of the psychological value of work in human
psychological development is the basis for
the organization of schools for humanity.
... in "aiding the child's development in its sensitive periods"...devise
materials which would meet the recognizable needs of the child during various
sensitive period ...Material added to the environment is stimulating to the
child. If it has always been there it becomes part of the scenery and is not
noticed... "If the sensitive periods are not hindered by inner anxieties
resulting from repressive pedagogies, then the intensive attraction to the
environmment continues to be mediated through the individual's authentic
striving to work. Motivation from within -intrinsic motivation- is manifest at
certain critical periods or 'sensitive periods' which end when the function of
work is performed. Pedagogical methods which take this natural striving for
work into consideration are successful in helping the child reach his human
potential for self-realization. Educators can help children in the natural
stages of human development by offering environmental stimuli which stimulate
their inner potentialities at different stages of their development. This is
the psychological value of work - as the medium for oneness with the
environment, the human being can grow to psychological maturity and fulfill
his human potential and achieve happiness- integration with himself and his
environment. Organization of schools for humanity depend on the recognition of
the psychological value of work in human psychological development. Children
themselves can guide us in the planning of environments which wilk help them
grow into mature human beings who live by the values which are the special
attributes of the human being. If the work involves their total personality,
then it is helpful to their development. If the work does not involve their
total personality, then it is not helpul to their development. Such work is
considered to have little 'formative' value. With work which is meaningful to
the child at the different developmental sensitive periods, the child grows up
with an increasing capacity to act independently and responsibly. If children,
and adults, behave irresponsibly, the fault lies not with them but with the
'education' which they have been offered. NORMALIZATION THROUGH WORK.

Freud on work as a human phenomenon: He writes
"...after primal man had discovered that it lay in his own hands, literally,
to improve his lot on earth by working, it cannot have been a matter of
indifference to him whether another man worked with him or against him. The
other man acquired the value for him of a fellow worker, with whom it was
useful to live together." (Sigmund Freud. Civilization and Its Discontents.
standard ed., vol. 21, London: Hogarth Press, 1953 page 59.)

Montessori gave
expression to the psychological value of work. "Man's purpose in life is to
improve his lot.... "This requires an intrinsic relation between himself and
his environment.... "Man discovers that it is only through his own activity
with his intelligence, his hands and his tools that he can change his
environment to meet his survival needs. Work is a fundamental feature of the
human species...Work is a human phenomenon. The ability to work is an aspect
of the development of the human personality...work and personality development
are interrelated. Work is one of the main spheres of human behavior. Work is
an adaptive, creative, and a social function par excellence.... THE PSYSCHOLOGICAL VALUE OF WORK. The ability to work is an important aspect of
the individual throughout life... succeeding by one's own efforts and at the
same time being in contact with the reality of life which work represents,
enhances the integrity of the personality. Real aim education is not the
imparting of knowledge for the sake of learning itself. Rather, it encourages
learning, because LEARNING IS A FEATURE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, a need that
cannot be met without education.

The integrity of the personality is enhanced by personal success through
personal efforts Children strive to become adults in the context of the
possibilities provided by their environment. Achieving adulthood is achieving
self-realization. Children strive for self-realization through interaction
with their immediate environment through work - becoming one with their
environment. They strive to achieve their personal aims for
self-realization... within the confines of the environmental conditions which
are provided...i.e within the context of their environment. The striving
towards self-realization is geneticallybased. The fully developed personality
is a natural by product of the experience of growth and freedom within a
community in which effective learning is driven by the need for
self-initiatedpersonal development toward self-actualization or
self-realization. Children's continued development into independent and mature
personalities depends on the responsible guidance of the adult...i.e. on a
responsible 'education'. Responsible education is a long and indirect process
of preparation for a life of freedom as an independent and mature adult living
by the values which are the special attributes of full personality development
- the values of respect for others and for one's environment. If human
individuals behave irresponsibly,the fault lies not with them but with the
education which they have been offered. The recognition of the
psychological value of work in human psychological development is the basis
for the organization of schools for humanity.

holistic education as education for normal growth THE PROCESS OF
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH WORK: NORMAL GROWTH or 'NORMALISATION'

".... man by his very nature and of his own accord strives toward
self-realization, and his set of values derives from such striving." Growth
is only possible with the assuming of self-responsibility. The criteria for
morality depend on the needs for individual growth. Attitudes which are
conducive to a person's growth are 'moral' and those which are obstructice to a
persons growth are 'immoral.' Growth and self-realization are not possible
without truthfulness to oneself. (Shakespeare Be true to thyself and thou will
not be false to any man Hamlet) This is the 'morality of evolution'.

Disciplinary measures are injurious to growth. Through
growth, one outgrows undesirables attitudes.Growth is a
function of increased understanding of one's human nature. Self-knowledge
is the means of setting free those forces which are responsible for growth.
Self-realization is the natural product of growth through freedom to learn.
Working for one's personal growth is a law of nature. REAL SELF "that central
inner force, common to all human beings and yet unique to each, which is the
deep source of growth."

Normalization is the result of unhampered psychic human growth.

"Children who have been prevented from developing fully often show character
traits that disappear when they become normalized through work. A common one is
possessiveness. In the normalized child, his freedom to take an interest in all
kinds of things leads to his focusing his attention not on the things
themselves, but on the knowledge he derives from them."(Montessori The Absorbent
Mind 219) In the unnormalized individual the desire to possess is accompanied by
a desire to destroy. With normalization, desire to possess becomes transformed
into desire for knowledge.

Maria Montessori's scientific studies of young children confirmed that
character building is the child's own achievement. ...character building is the
child's own achievement. Children construct their own
characters...(which)...result from a long and slow sequence of activities
carried out by the child himself...No one can 'teach' the qualities of
character... put education on a scientific footing so that children can work
effectively without being disturbed or impeded... Good character is necessary
for effective learning. Without character there is no 'drive' or concentration.
With concentration, the child interacts with his environment. Without the power
of concentration, the individual becomes enslaved by the environment. With
concentration comes perseverence. The unfolding of character is entirely natural
- with critical periods like the period of cocoon construction in the
caterpillar. The critical period for character formation is between ages three
and six - called the 'constructive' period. "The child's own strongest instinct
is to free himself from adult control. It is not a matter of 'will' but a
natural 'law'. The natural laws of growth and formation are to be respected for
children to build character, the inner self. Montessori showed

Character
building is a matter of natural creation... education is an
aid...characteristics related to the value system are developed through
spontaneous activity in a prepared environment. Adults must help the child to
function freely in this environment. This help corresponds to the intrinsic
needs inherent in the pattern of development, and follows his own tempo. under
these conditions the child is urged from within towards certain specific
activities which he performs with great concentration and joy. These activities
are linked to the inner formation of functions that only later are integrated
and appear as manifest characteristics. ...scientific observations of children
at work indicated that the 'normal' being of the child is expressed through
activity..."children have a capacity for free development when mental oppression
is removed and the spirit is allowed to grow. " normalization ... development
was shown to derive from natural 'laws' of development...'normalized' behavior
because it is normal when a child is allowed naturally to expand their
consciousness of the three principles - observation, individual liberty and
preparation of the environment. A profound inner preparation takes place in the
child as he grows. Because the emergence of the 'normalized' child is natural
and universal... the 'normalization' of the child as a great hope for a
fundamental change in society and for the future of humanity. Normalization
comes through concentration on a piece of work. For this we must provide
'motives for activity' so well adapted to the child's interests that they
provoke his deep attention. ...The essential thing is for the task to arouse
such an interest that it engages his whole personality.... Only 'normalized'
children aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those
wonderful powers ofspontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social
sentiments of help and sympathy for others.. Activity freely chosen becomes
their regular way of living....An interesting piece of work, freely chosen,
which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the
chid's energies and mental capacities and leads to self-mastery. ...the first
essential for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis
for his character and social behavior. He must find out how to concentrate, and
for this he needs things to concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his
surroundings, for no acting on the child from outside can cause him to
concentrate. Only the child can organize his own psychic life. None of us can do
it for him. It is is here that the importance of our schools lies. They are
places in which the child can find the kind of work that permits him to do
this... concentration and work for character development...character building is
the child's own achievement..."Children construct their own characters...they
result from a long and slow sequence of activities carried out by the child
himself between the ages of three and six.....no one can 'teach' the qualities
of character...The only thing we can do is to put education on a scientific
footing so that children can work effectively without being disturbed or
impeded." Good character is necessary for effective learning. Without character
there is no 'drive' or concentration. With concentration, the child interacts
with his environment. Without the power of concentration, the individual becomes
enslaved by the environment. With concentration comes perseverence. The
unfolding of character is entirely natural - with critical periods like the
period of cocoon construction in the caterpillar. The critical period for
character formation is between ages three and six - called the 'constructive'
period. ...the child spontaneously reveals its 'normal' being.. with qualitites
such as self-discipline, independence, precocious intelligence, love of order
and sentiments of sympathy for others.... the 'normal' being of the child is
expressed through activity. In real life conditions of choice and independence,
the normal children work in silent concentration for long periods of time,
showing harmony and patience with one another, demonstrating self-discipline and
independence without adult control or direction. Using Montessori's term...this
is 'normalized' behavior because it is normal when a child is allowed naturally
to expand their consciousness of observation, individual liberty and preparation
of the environment. A profound inner preparation takes place in the child as he
grows. Significant adults ...parents and teachers ...need to undergo the same
inner preparation before they can guide children in their development.

WHOLISTIC EDUCATION as education for growth or 'NORMALIZATION ' DESIRE FOR
POSSESSION IS TRANSFORMED INTO DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE ...teaching method consists
of a knowledgeable committment and expression of three fundamental principles -
'observation', 'individual liberty', and 'preparation of the environment'. The
teacher with the spirit of the scientist - humble, inquiring, and open-minded,
can legitimately offer guiding direction for growing children as they emerge
into a true 'normalized' nature with the 'normal' qualities which reveal
themselves spontaneously when a child is properly guided. With normalization and
growth to maturity, science education for possession and destruction through
creative intelligence is raised to a higher level of consciousness is
transformed science education for knowledge, understanding and
love...transformation from desire to possess to desire for knowledge comes with
'normalization' and maturity. "To know, to love, and to serve is the trinomial
of all religions, but the child is the true maker of our spirituality. He
teaches us the plan of nature for giving form to our conduct and character, a
plan fully traced out in all its details of age and work, with its need for
freedom and intense activity in accordance with the laws of life. What matters
is not physics, or botany, or works of the hand, but the will, and the
components of the human spirit which construct themselves by work. The child is
the spiritual builder of mankind, and obstacles to his free development are the
stones in the wall by which the soul of man has become imprisoned." Because the
emergence of the 'normalized' child is natural and universal... the
'normalization' of the child is a great hope for a fundamental change in society
and for the future of humanity. ...for human development and values allow
children to concentrate on what interests them; for education provide the
appropriate environment so they can concentrate on appropriate activities.
Adults must help the child function freely in the prepared environment -
responsibility of the adult is to prove the right environment ...material added
to the environment is stimulating to the child. If it has always been there it
becomes part of the scenery and is not noticed. This help corresponds to the
intrinsic needs inherent in the pattern of development, and follows his own
tempo. It should follow the child's personality even if the child's
developmental pattern is inadequate to cope with the adult's life situation.
Montessori demonstrated that under these conditions the child is urged from
within towards certain specific activities which he performs with great
concentration and joy. These activities are linked to the inner formation of
functions that only later are integrated and appear as manifest characteristics.

Character building necessary for true 'science education' which
is education for knowledge and not for possession. Possessiveness is an
infantile trait. With normalization, it becomes transformed into a desire for
knowledge of how things work. The desire for knowledge becomes the secondary
interest of possessiveness. "Children who pick flowers because they want them
soon throw them aside or pull them to pieces. Here, the mania for possession
does go side by side with the mania for destruction. But if the child knows the
kind of flower, the kind of leaf it has, or the branching pattern of its stem,
then it will not occur to him to pick it or to damage it. He will want to study
it. His interest has become intellectual and his posessiveness takes the form of
knowledge. "The transformation involves a raising of consciousness from one of
possessiveness to one of love and understanding. Transformation of the child's
possessivess in the growth process of normalization: A desire to destroy the
object is transformed to an intellectual desire to understand the object. The
normalized child learns to love the object through understanding it. The child
learns to love the environment and treat it with care and delicacy. With
normalization, the desire to possess is transformed to love and care.
UNMORMALIZED INDIVIDUAL Subconscious failings of personality which persist in
the adult life are those which are in opposition to the emergence of the child's
true nature. In the unnormalized individual the desire to possess is accompanied
by a desire to destroy. "Children who have been prevented from developing fully
often show (negative) character traits that disappear when they become
normalized through work. A common one is possessiveness. In the normalized
child, his freedom to take an interest io all kinds of things leads to his
focusing his attention not on the things themselves, but on the knowledge he
derives from Science education is education for love and understanding. The
desire to possess and destroy is not science education.

TRANSFORMATION OF SCIENCE EDUCATION eriods of human personality development:
First period ages 0-3 first three years; Second period ages 3-6 second three
years - child becomes susceptible to adult influence; third period ages 6-12
calm and happy period; fourth period 12-18 (12-15 and 15-18); Gibran The
Prophet, Heineman G.B. and Knopf, New York, 1948, p.33 "Work is love made
visible." Work behavior in the development of the personality is functional
within the context of goals. Child play is the child's work.

NORMALIZATION AND WORK GO TOGETHER - THE PROCESS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
WORK Maria Montessori's scientific studies of young children confirmed that
character building is the child's own achievement. ...character building is the
child's own achievement. Children construct their own
characters...(which)...result from a long and slow sequence of activities
carried out by the child himself...No one can 'teach' the qualities of
character... put education on a scientific footing so that children can work
effectively without being disturbed or impeded... Good character is necessary
for effective learning. Without character there is no 'drive' or concentration.
With concentration, the child interacts with his environment. Without the power
of concentration, the individual becomes enslaved by the environment. With
concentration comes perseverence. The unfolding of character is entirely natural
- with critical periods like the period of cocoon construction in the
caterpillar. The critical period for character formation is between ages three
and six - called the 'constructive' period. "The child's own strongest instinct
is to free himself from adult control. It is not a matter of 'will' but a
natural 'law'. The natural laws of growth and formation are to be respected for
children to build character, the inner self. Montessori showed Character
building is a matter of natural creation... education is an
aid...characteristics related to the value system are developed through
spontaneous activity in a prepared environment. Adults must help the child to
function freely in this environment. This help corresponds to the intrinsic
needs inherent in the pattern of development, and follows his own tempo. under
these conditions the child is urged from within towards certain specific
activities which he performs with great concentration and joy. These activities
are linked to the inner formation of functions that only later are integrated
and appear as manifest characteristics. ...scientific observations of children
at work indicated that the 'normal' being of the child is expressed through
activity..."children have a capacity for free development when mental oppression
is removed and the spirit is allowed to grow. " normalization ... development
was shown to derive from natural 'laws' of development...'normalized' behavior
because it is normal when a child is allowed naturally to expand their
consciousness of the three principles - observation, individual liberty and
preparation of the environment. A profound inner preparation takes place in the
child as he grows. Because the emergence of the 'normalized' child is natural
and universal... the 'normalization' of the child as a great hope for a
fundamental change in society and for the future of humanity. Normalization
comes through concentration on a piece of work. For this we must provide
'motives for activity' so well adapted to the child's interests that they
provoke his deep attention. ...The essential thing is for the task to arouse
such an interest that it engages his whole personality.... Only 'normalized'
children aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those
wonderful powers ofspontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social
sentiments of help and sympathy for others.. Activity freely chosen becomes
their regular way of living....An interesting piece of work, freely chosen,
which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the
chid's energies and mental capacities and leads to self-mastery. ...the first
essential for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis
for his character and social behavior. He must find out how to concentrate, and
for this he needs things to concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his
surroundings, for no acting on the child from outside can cause him to
concentrate. Only the child can organize his own psychic life. None of us can do
it for him. It is is here that the importance of our schools lies. They are
places in which the child can find the kind of work that permits him to do
this... concentration and work for character development...character building is
the child's own achievement..."Children construct their own characters...they
result from a long and slow sequence of activities carried out by the child
himself between the ages of three and six.....no one can 'teach' the qualities
of character...The only thing we can do is to put education on a scientific
footing so that children can work effectively without being disturbed or
impeded." Good character is necessary for effective learning. Without character
there is no 'drive' or concentration. With concentration, the child interacts
with his environment. Without the power of concentration, the individual becomes
enslaved by the environment. With concentration comes perseverence. The
unfolding of character is entirely natural - with critical periods like the
period of cocoon construction in the caterpillar. The critical period for
character formation is between ages three and six - called the 'constructive'
period. ...the child spontaneously reveals its 'normal' being.. with qualitites
such as self-discipline, independence, precocious intelligence, love of order
and sentiments of sympathy for others.... the 'normal' being of the child is
expressed through activity. In real life conditions of choice and independence,
the normal children work in silent concentration for long periods of time,
showing harmony and patience with one another, demonstrating self-discipline and
independence without adult control or direction. Using Montessori's term...this
is 'normalized' behavior because it is normal when a child is allowed naturally
to expand their consciousness of observation, individual liberty and preparation
of the environment. A profound inner preparation takes place in the child as he
grows. Significant adults ...parents and teachers ...need to undergo the same
inner preparation before they can guide children in their development.

Social function of work "...after primal man had discovered that it lay
in his own hands, literally, to improve his lot on earth by working, it cannot
have been a matter of indifference to him whether another man worked with him
or against him. The other man acquired the value for him of a fellow worker,
with whom it was useful to live together." (Sigmund Freud. Civilization
and Its Discontents. standard ed., vol. 21, London: Hogarth Press, 1953
page 59.)

A valid discussion of moral education depends on
the important distinction between two kinds of
teaching: teaching as the transmission of specific 'sets of morals' or
'ethics i.e. authoritarian morality or
'moralism' and teaching as the facilitation of spiritual growth for moral
maturity i.e. 'free
morality'. Free morality or 'true morality' is a function of moral
consciousness or 'conscience'
- the source of an individual's natural sense
of moral responsibility. Development of conscience is a function of inner freedom or
'spiritual freedom'. Spiritual freedom depends on education for the
development of human potential in all its interrelated aspects - physical,
intellectual, psychological, emotional, political, philosophical, aesthetic and
spiritual or 'moral' i.e. 'holistic education'.
Holistic education is moral education. Moral education which is based on
a realistic view of human nature depends on respect for human growth and
development and produces a rational morality of the fully developed 'humanistic
conscience'.

"The history of moral education in the U.S. is, by and large, a history
of failure." Michael Scriven Moral Education: It Comes With the
Territory. (Ed) David Purpel and Kevin Ryan, Berkeley, CA: McCutchen
Publishing Co. 1976, page 313)

So-called 'character education' or 'moral
training' (in the sense of 'moralism') is based on pessimistic view of human
nature and consists of acculturating children to cultural norms of 'good
behaviour' ... reflects the neo-conservative concerns for social stability.

'Character building' as facilitation of growth involving development of
conscience is not to be confused with 'character building' as 'moral training' -
the 'inculcation of moral values'.

American culture: moral education in the
traditional paradigm... behavioural paradigm:The paradigm of 'traditional
American culture' (American
Constitution) is characterised by its dichotomous perception of human nature
in terms of the need to control its innate wickedness or
'evil'.Traditionally, moral education is
based on the fall/redemption of Christianity and the belief in the inherent
sinfulness... innate wickedness or 'evil' of human nature.

In the traditional paradigm justified by the behavioural
sciences controlling the 'evil impulses' of human nature... specific 'sets of
morals' or 'ethics'...
'moralism'... moral education as value education is considered in terms
of rules for behaviour
or moral codes... as teaching of codes of behaviour or
'ethics'... Value education or 'moral education' is
considered in terms of 'teaching sets of values...the teacher’s role is
considered to be the transmission of collective social values from one
generation to the next. Children are expected to be obedient and to imitate the
adult. Though these are natural characteristics, little attention is paid to
children’s growth needs and the laws of psychological development. Education
involves the child’s growth and development as well as norms of socialisation -
social, intellectual and moral values. The exclusivity of the two is the basis
for the passive methods of traditional education.

Moralism implies mistrust of human nature
Moralism is based on a profound mistrust of the nature of the human
personality or 'human
nature'. This profound mistrust originates in the pessimistic view of human
nature which stems from the teachings of the Christian Church and the belief in
the inherent wickedness or 'evil'
of human nature - a belief is derived from the Fall/Redemption theology or
'myth' of the Protestant Calvinist and Puritan movements of orthodox
Protestantism. According to the Fall/ Redemption myth, Adam and Eve committed
the 'original sin' when they disobeyed God. Their disobedience resulted in a
'fall' from God's grace and their sin was inherited by all human beings who were
born after them. The belief that every human child is brought into this life
tainted with the original sin, as a 'child of sin' which could only be saved
through baptism. Furthermore it was believed that each individual must suffer in
this life and even in the 'afterlife' unless they were redeemed by God.
In this context, human suffering is explained away as a natural consequence of
the original sin. Since human nature is not to be trusted it must be restrained
and controlled... guided, instructed, rewarded and punished by those who are
wiser or higher in status. Furthermore, the 'forces of evil' are believed
to be in competition with the 'forces of good'.

Belief in the innate evil of human nature originally
derives from the notion of the separation of the material and spiritual realms
of human existence - the disconnectedness of the 'natural' and the
'supernatural', the person and 'God'. This conceptual dichotomy between
matter and spirit was incorporated into the worldview which originated with the
'scientific revolution' of the eighteenth century otherwise known as the
'Enlightenment.' In this traditional scientific worldview, emphasis is on
'cause and effect' relationships of the material world. Natural events were
thought to be governed by observable natural laws. Human nature was thought to
be explainable in terms of natural causes.

As a more optimistic perception of human nature,
the scientific view had a profound influence on social and political thought.

The characteristic mistrust of human nature forms
the basis of the moralistic attitude towards human problems.

"Objectives of the behavioral approach to education make 'ethical
relativity' the cornerstone of 'value education'.According to
behaviorists, moral education should be aimed at teaching some specific set of
morals. The objectives of the behavioral approach to moral education are based
on the 'socialization' or indoctrination approach, which aims at producing
conformity with the state's, the teacher's, and the school's values."
(Lawrence Kohlberg "The Moral Atmosphere of the School" Chapter 13 Moral
Education: It Comes With the Territory (Ed) David Purpel and Kevin Ryan,
Berkeley,CA: McCutchen Publishing Co. 1976, 200)

Belief in the basic corruption of human
nature or
'evil'American culture is based on American 'nationalisn' and
formulated in terms of the abstract ideals upon which the Americans founded
their 'nation'. American nationalism combines the ideals of democracy with
belief systems which are derived from reductionist science, capitalism and
Protestantism as the source of the American concept of morality or 'moralism'
formed on the basis of their profound mistrust of human nature...

According to the moralist belief in the basic absolute
evil of human nature, virtue is the suppression of the inherent evil of human
nature. Virtuous people suppress their inherently evil nature and social
communities are possible only if all people are united by a communally fixed
universal moral order. Questions concerning values and the 'good life' are
formulated in the context of the view that man's basic nature is evil.

The so-called 'relativity of ethics' The word 'ethics' comes from a Latin root which originally
meant 'custom'. The word eventually came to refer to the science dealing with
the ideal character. The confusion between custom and ideal character still
exists. The word 'ethics' is used to refer to a moral philosophy or code of
behaviour i.e. a 'code of ethics'. A code of ethics is valid and
desirable within the context of... or 'relative to' ... a given social
and cultural situation. The concept of the 'relativity of ethics' is the
cornerstone of moral education in
American culture ... morals or
'ethics'.

Codes of ethics can degenerate to serve the personal
interests of individuals in the whichever profession is involved... 'Medical
ethics' serves the medical profession; 'business ethics' serves
business; 'military ethics' serves the military and so on. The concept of
the relativity of ethics... 'ethics relativity' is the basis for moral
education or 'value education'. Moral education or 'value
education' based on the relativity of ethics is justified by the behavioural
sciences. In the behavioural paradigm, value education
involves the indoctrination approach to socialisation and aims for conformity
with the values of the culture i.e. the cultural values or 'conceived values'.
Value education which is regarded in terms of formal education for conceived
values is 'moralism'.

Traditional concept of morality
based on external authority: 'moralism'
The American concept of morality is based on the understanding that it is
based on external authority. This leads to formulation of codes of ethics' i.e.
'authoritarian ethics'... the development of a conscience which is deformed
because it is derived from the internalization of an external authority -
parental, societal or state authority
'authoritarian conscience'. The authoritarian conscience is the voice of an
internalised power... is irrational because it is based on fear for the
authority rather on the intrinsic conscience the source from which natural value
judgements arise.

As representing the authoritarian conscience, moralism is
based on the assumption that human nature - the so-called 'animal nature' of
human nature - is fundamentally evil and that instinctive human needs - the
so-called 'animal instincts' - are dangerous and base and therefore 'immoral'
and not to be trusted... a historically determined tendency in Western culture.

Concerning the supposed dichotomy between freedom and social responsibility:
"How is a social life possible for man if each one is only striving to assert
his own individuality? This objection is characteristic of a false understanding
in moralism. Such a moralist believes that a social community is possible only
if all men are united by a communally fixed moral order. What this kind of
moralist does not understand is just the unity of the world of ideas. He does
not see that the world of ideas working in me is no other than the one working
in my fellow man. A moral misunderstanding, a clash, is impossible between men
who are morally free. To live in love towards our actions, and to let live in
the understanding of the other person's will, is the fundamental maxim of free
men."( Steiner, R. Philosophy of Freedom: Philosophy of Spiritual Activity.
The Basis for a Modern World Conception. Some Results of Introspective
Observation Following the Methods of Natural Science. London: Rudolf Steiner
Press, 1970 139)

Traditional concept of 'values'... in the
paradigm of moralism In the paradigm of American moralism, the word
'values' is used to refer to the values which were 'taught' by Christian
religions. The values of moralism are derived from Protestantism. The search for
morals is based on the notion that goodness results from the suppression and
repression of the immoral instincts of human nature. The basis of the moralistic
attitude towards human problems is the mistrust of human nature which stems from
the Fall/ Redemption myth of orthodox Christianity which was adopted by the
Protestant Calvinist and Puritan movements. According to the myth of the
'Fall/Redemption' theology of orthodox Protestant Christianity, the 'original
sin' of Adam and Eve - their disobedience of God's command not to 'eat of the
tree of knowledge' - resulted in their 'fall' from God's grace and was inherited
by all human beings who were born after them. Each human infant brought into the
world is tainted with sin and is therefore inherently 'evil'. As a 'child of
sin' each individual must suffer in this life and depends on God's 'redemption'
for an afterlife without suffering. The evil impulses of human nature cannot be
trusted and must necessarily be restrained. Each individual is morally
responsible for restraining and controlling his own evil impulses and those of
other people as well. He must depend on the authority of strict codes of civil
law, social mores and ethical standards. Those individuals who abide by the
codes are considered to be 'moral' and can teach and preach the moral life.
Those individuals who are unable to restrain the evil part of their nature must
be 'punished.' People have been taught that the inner life is a natural
consequence of the evil which is inherent in human nature and they must look
outside of themselves for the guiding values of a 'good life'. Theologians
attribute the human values to a source outside of human nature - some sort of
god, sacred book, ruling elite, or ruling individual. Attempts to make moral
what is believed to be immoral have produced the dogma of moralism.

Theology is overdependent on dogma, revelation and
supernaturalism. Philosophy denies the authorities of dogma, revelation and
supernaturalism. Philosophers have no authorities. In their search for values,
philosophers build a philosophical system which is built on a premise. In the
traditional paradigm of philosophy, philosophical debate has been concerned with
the struggle to discover and to live the good and virtuous life. The best
example of this quest is
Socrates

The belief in the innate evil of human
nature is the basic premise of moral education in the traditional paradigm.
Education is considered necessary for the teaching of knowledge of 'morals'
i.e. morality as
'moralism'.

The immature mind The mistrust of
human nature has placed severe limitations on the faith in human growth and the
human potential. The result is production of thwarted human development...
arrested development...
adult immaturity...

The ego-centered mental process and incomplete cognition
of the immature mind results in the perception of dichotomies. Making a
judgment about human nature creates problems. The perception of social problems
in the framework of this false premise results in failed attempts to resolve
them. Problems arising from the same dichotomies can be resolved in the
wholistic paradigm in which the concern for the 'good life'
becomes an issue of morality and is based in biology and psychobiology of
the human organism. The so-called 'animal nature' of human nature is a false
notion. No single set of moral standards or uniform code can be applied to all
people. The imposition of moral codes only creates complex, intractable moral
dilemmas.

Perceived in this context, social problems cannot be
resolved. Changing the premise changes the paradigm. Changing the premise and
the paradigm makes it possible to ask the same questions in a new framework and
to find solutions to moral problems. The basic assumption that human nature is
inherently evil can be changed to the assumption that human nature is basically
good. On the basis of the assumption that the human being's basic nature is
good, the process of education is perceived in terms of basic physiological and
psychological needs which must be recognized and respected with a view to the
actualization of the individual's humanness.

The basic right of every human being is the right to
education for full human development. The basic responsibility of each
individual is to develop their own humanity or 'humanness'. By developing
their own humanness the individual fulfills their responsibility to their fellow
human beings.

Education cannot be responsible if it is
based on a mistrust of human nature. The natural impulses of human
behaviour are not necessarily evil and should be trusted...Individuals who are
not able to trust human nature, cannot trust their own nature. Unable to trust
their own humanity, they cannot trust the humanity of others. They cannot trust
others to develop a personal sense of moral responsibility and expect them to
rely on external authorities, strict codes of civil law and codes of ethics. In
this traditional paradigm, moral education depends on control and manipulation
and produces an irrational morality of the 'authoritarian
conscience'.

The question remains: "which premise?" One of the most
basic problems of philosophical thought is concerned with the formulation of a
premise of a philosophical system of values i.e. whether human nature is
basically evil and corrupt or basically good and perfectable? If human nature is
basically evil and corrupt then the problem is 'how to make people virtuous'.
For centuries the attempts to formulate philosophical systems of ethics have
been based on the mutually exclusive contrast between 'what is' and 'what ought
to be.' As a consequence, many cultural institutions are set up for the express
purpose of controlling, inhibiting, suppressing and repressing this original
human nature. The individual is expected to rely on external authorities of
strict codes of civil law and 'ethics' for the guiding moral principles and the
values of moralism. In the context of American society and moralism with its
profound mistrust of human nature, individuals are unable to trust their own
human nature and their own humanity as well as the humanity of others. The life
of the intellect and the quest for self-realization are not valued. The natural
development of moral and spiritual self-reliance is discouraged. The life of
contemplation and meditation is misunderstood and devalued. The spontaneous and
self-expressive behaviour of the natural human being is repressed. The
impulsive, intuitive and emotional aspects of human nature are restrained. True
spiritual freedom is considered undisciplined and punishable. Social problems
are perceived in terms of the individual's personal moral failure. They are
resolved by discipline and the rule of law. They are not understood in terms of
inherent deficiencies of fundamental institutional practices. Social reforms are
perceived in terms of the individual's moral responsibility. They are not
understood in the context of necessary institutional changes. This dichotamous
perception of social problems results from ego-centered mental processes of the
'incomplete cognition' of a distorted neurotic perception of reality derived
from conflicts which are inherent in the culture...and which inhibit growth for
complete personality integration and spiritual independence of maturity.

In the paradigm of holistic education, moral
education is based on a realistic view of human nature and respect for the needs
for human growth and development i.e. 'human
needs'.

The result is the natural development of moral
consciousness or
'conscience'. The human conscience is the source of social values or
'human values'.

Human nature is basically good and perfectable. The
intelligent resolution of social problems is derived from a non-judgemental
premise which is based on the scientific understanding of the biological basis
of human nature. Human nature and human needs and values are biologically based.
But traditionally people have ignored the validity of the instinctive needs for
growth - the spiritual needs or
'metaneeds' - as well as the basic psychological needs. Throughout human
history theologians, political philosophers, economic theorists and even
behavioural psychologists have conceived of strategies to deny and avoid
peoples' needs. They have considered peoples' happiness in terms of improving
their conditions with a view to eliminating their human needs because they were
thought to be annoying or threatening. But it is recognition and respect for
basic human needs which leads to the resolution of human social problems. Social
mores evolved in accordance with inborn biological necessity and environmental
contingencies by a process of natural selection. As survival oriented values,
the guiding values which have been sought and prescribed by religions and
philosophies - the values of truth, goodness, beauty, justice honesty and so on
- are found within a person's consciousness... they are part of the individual's
natural sense of moral responsibility to lead their own lives according to the
same values.

In the holistic paradigm, value education is education
for morality as a function of 'moral development'... 'moral education'.
Moral education like intellectual education is based on the stimulation of the
child's active thinking about moral issues and decisions. The basic modes of
organizing experience are not the direct result of adult 'teaching'. The child's
behaviour has a cognitive structure or organizational pattern which can be
described independently of adult culture. During growth and development, the
child goes through qualitatively different modes of thought,
thought-organizations or 'cognitive structures'. Cognitive structures
provide the framework for the individual's interpretation of affective
experiences. Each affective response represents an underlying cognitive
structure. Although this notion is as old as Rousseau, it is only
recently that it has been incorporated into the actual study of cognitive
development. Cognitive developmentalists describe cognitive development in terms
of the successive elaboration of simpler cognitive structures into more
complicated and differentiated ones.

"The cognitive-developmental approach was fully stated for the first time
by John Dewey. The approach is called 'cognitive' because it recognizes that
moral education, like intellectual education, has its basis in stimulating the
active thinking of the child about moral issues and decisions. It is called
'developmental' because it sees the aims of moral education as movement through
moral stages." (Lawrence Kohlberg "The Cognitive Developmental Approach to
Moral Education" chapter 12 in Moral Education...It Comes With the Territory
(Ed) David Purpel and Kevin Ryan, Berkeley,CA: McCutchen Publishing Co. 1976,
176-195)

Cognitive-developmental approach to moral
education:
'socio-cognitive stages' of character development Sociocognitive stages are structural age-changes. There are
structural age-changes in cognitive development and in the personality
development or 'socialisation'. The structural age-changes or 'stages' of
socialization are the same as those involved in the development of morality.
Age-changes in moral development have a formal structural base which is parallel
to the structural base of cognitive development. This is known as
'cognitive-affective parallelism'.

Both cognitive and affective development and
functioning represent different perspectives and contexts of 'character
development'.

Affective functioning which involves the emotional force
behind motivation is largely mediated by changes in thought patterns. Both
cognitive development and moral development involve basic transformations of
cognitive structure which can be described in terms of organizational wholes or
'systems' of internal relations.

The internal
development of human character involves 'cognitive structures' which are
generated as a result of interactions between the organism and the social
environment. The organism/environment interaction stimulates both
affective and cognitive functioning giving rise to changes in modes of thought
and subsequent structures of action. Development of structures of action tends
in the direction of greater equilibrium in the organism/environment interaction
i.e. towards 'adaptation'. This equilibrium in its generalized form is
the defining of the human social values, morals principles of
'morality' i.e. justice, truth, logic, knowledge, compassion loving-kindness
and so on.

What is morality?Morality
is a natural product of the universal tendency toward empathy or role taking,
toward putting oneself in the shoes of other conscious beings. It is a product
of the universal human concern for reciprocity or equality in the relation of
one person to another.

Social developmentThe
direction of social or 'ego' development is always towards an equilibrium
or reciprocity between one's actions and those of others toward one's self.
'Social cognition' involves the awareness that the other is in some way like
the self and social 'development' involves the restructuring of the
concept of self as it relates to concepts of other people. In this view the
natural development of morality is directly connected with the process of
natural learning. This is the 'cognitive-develomental theory of learning'
and the 'cognitive-developmental theory of moral development'.

The core of the cognitive-developmental theory is the
doctrine of sociocognitive stages - the modes of thought or cognitive modes
which represent the basic structural nature of moral development.

The different stages represent distinct and qualitative
differences in modes of thinking about the same problem at different ages. Each
of the different stages forms a structured whole and the different stages form
an invariant sequence, order, or succession in the individual's development. The
stages can be speeded up, slowed down or stopped by cultural factors but their
sequence does not change.

There are three levels of moral development, each
comprising two sociocognitive stages (Piaget
and Kohlberg). The first level is the 'premoral' or 'preconventional'
level in which the individual is motivated by biological and social impulses
with no sense of obligation to rules. The second level is the 'conventional'
level in which the individual is motivated by an uncritical acceptance of the
standards of the group with respect for conventional rules. The third level is
the 'autonomous' level in which the individual is motivated by critical
reflection with a sense of guidance by ethical principles of a developed
conscience.

Cognitive-developmental approach to moral education...

"Moral education should not be aimed at teaching some specific set of
morals but should be concerned with developing the organizational structures by
which one analyzes, interprets and makes decisions about social problems"
(James Rest. 'Developmental Psychology as a Guide to Value Education: A
Review of 'Kohlbergian' Programs'. in Moral Education: It Comes With the
Territory David Purpel & Kevin Ryan (eds.) Berkeley CA: McCutchan Publishing
Co. 1976 254)

In the cognitive-developmental view, the aim of education
is conceived in terms of cognitive development and cognitive 'structures'. The
school's function is to promote the individual's development of social
intelligence or morality or 'socialization'. The school is involved in the most
important of all constructions and that is the building of a free and mature
character of a developed conscience. The aim of education is growth and
development... the intellectual and moral capabilities for responsible decision
making and problem solving. Education for morality requires a
curriculum based on knowledge of developmental stages in moral development.
Education is the work of supplying the conditions which will enable the
psychological functions to mature in the freest and fullest manner so as to
stimulate development step by step through the stages towards the maturity of
conscience... 'holistic education'.

In the holistic paradigm of
education, the individual strives not only for complete psychological,
emotional, intellectual development but for complete moral development and
personality integration as well. The aim of education is growth in the context
of spiritual freedom based on trust of the individual to develop a personal
sense of moral responsibility. The integrated individual is responsible to
him/herself and to the society of which she/he is a member. In the context of
growth for spiritual freedom, dichotomies disappear. It becomes possible for the
individual to be 'free' and to be socially responsibile as well. Social
responsibility is not possible without inner spiritual freedom.. 'freedom'

Environmental conditions
required for development of conscience... The proper development of conscience
depends on a social environment which provides for the psychological needs for
growth or 'social needs' i.e. 'human
needs'. Each human individual is born with the biological potential
for development of a rational conscience. For that potential to be actualized
during growth and development, the proper conditions for growth are required.

Recognition of human needs is the basis for
education for human growth and development towards the realisation of human
potential... personality integration and realisation of the self in a process
of 'mature growth' i.e. self-realisation or 'self-actualisation'.

"The cognitive-developmental approach was fully stated for the first time
by
John Dewey. The approach is called 'cognitive' because it
recognizes that moral education, like intellectual education, has its basis in
stimulating the active thinking of the child about moral issues and decisions.
It is called 'developmental' because it sees the aims of moral education as
movement through moral stages." (Lawrence Kohlberg "The Cognitive
Developmental Approach to Moral Education" chapter 12 in Moral Education...It
Comes With the Territory (Ed) David Purpel and Kevin Ryan, Berkeley,CA:
McCutchen Publishing Co. 1976, 1

HOLISTIC PEACE EDUCATION (Maria Montessori)

We must learn to educate children in such a way that they will be able to
develop their human potential. This is the only way we can bring real peace to
the world. ..spiritual essence, the source of peace is within... provide
opportunities and experiences for children to learn to relate harmoniously with
their environment, with other people and cultures. The teacher must go through
process of inner awareness and transformation to to purify the heart and make it
charitable toward the child... be a model of peace, respect, humility, and
unconditional love...accept all children.

Prepare the environment in the classroom to meet the unfolding needs of
the children... attract them aesthetically... have it reflect a feeling of love,
respect and peace so that once they involved in an activity, they pass through
deeper phases of concentration and eventually reach their potential for the
supreme state of inner peace. Focus on their inner peace, "Silence Game" is
practice becoming still to feel their inner peace. their purpose for being in
school, establish ground rules for peace, encourage respect for everything in
the environment.

As children become aware of how their body, mind, emotions and spirit
interrelate, they begin to gain mastery of their bodies, minds and emotions so
that their spirit and potential might be more easily manifested.

BODY:
As children become conscious of the importance and interaction of the various
aspects of their bodies, they begin to develop more appreciation, as well as
learn that they can have some control over their mental, emotional and
spiritual states through conscious care and use of their bodies. Areas of
focus include: body parts, skeletal structure, muscles, organs, internal
systems (i.e. respiratory, digestive, etc.)

MIND:
As children become aware of how the mind operates they begin to work
proactively, creatively, and consciously with it. Areas of focus for the mind
include: sensory awareness, thought process, imagination, and creativity.

EMOTIONS:
As children become aware of their emotional states and how these states are
affected by their bodies and minds, they become empowered in their ability to
work constructively with their emotions. Areas of focus for the emotions
include: identification of emotional states, expression of feelings,
acceptance of feelings, understanding of mind/emotion connections, etc.

SPIRIT:
As children become more aware of and experience the deep abiding love within
themselves -- "Peace," they begin to manifest it in other aspects of their
lives. A new consciousness of peace grows among the children, creative ideas
emerge, sharing happens more naturally, cooperation is more frequent and love
is expressed more freely, spontaneity and joy abound -- a "New Child" is born.
Areas of focus for the Spirit include: celebrations, rituals, opportunities to
"give away," values clarification, education for the heart (awareness of
positive qualities, i.e., courage, understanding, patience, truthfulness,
etc.)

Harmony -- Interrelationship and
Community:

TRUST:
This is the attitude of love that is willing to take a chance and risk opening
up to the possibility of union with life. Areas of focus include: trust
exercises, stories involving trust, promises, truth, honesty, and the
provision of unconditional love for the children.

OPENNESS:
As children develop trust and feel comfortable, they begin to share their
thoughts and feelings with others and risk new challenges. Areas of focus
include: communication skills, "I" messages and empathetic understanding,
conflict resolution skills, values clarification, and the provision of
authentic adult models willing to relate person to person with the children.

REALIZATION:
As children feel accepted for who they are and what they feel, they develop
positive self esteem and are able to manifest greater and greater potential.
Areas of focus include: self esteem exercises, appreciation exercises,
honoring creative work, and providing opportunities for recognition of
achievements and creative development of talents (i.e. plays, programs,
projects, etc.)

INTERDEPENDENCE:
The happier children are with themselves, the more likely they are to reach
out and interact cooperatively with others. As the children's confidence in
self increases, their ability to be interdependent and part of a community
increases, also. Areas of focus include: providing opportunities for children
to plan and carry out special projects and activities such as feasts, parties,
and celebrations, exploring the needs of man, clocks of eras, timelines, etc.

From a sense of community or interdependence the children can glimpse, on a
micro scale, the unity of all peoples. From this experience, perhaps their level
of trust will be heightened, and they will spiral to greater heights of
openness, realization and interdependence.

As children become more aware of their inner peace and learn to relate
harmoniously with others, they begin to develop sensitivity and awareness for
people of other cultures and the global environment.

CULTURAL
AWARENESS:
Learning to accept and appreciate the differences of other cultures becomes
crucial to the development of world peace. Areas of focus include: exploration
of countries of origin, attention to the needs of all people, attention to
similarities and appreciation of differences, exploration of various cultures,
cultural experiences, foreign language, feasts and celebrations of other
cultures.

GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS: Learning to be sensitive to the needs of the Earth's
environment and live harmoniously with them is crucial to world peace. Areas
of focus include: attention to the needs of the soil, water, air, plants and
animals, science experiments to develop sensitivity to the delicate balance of
the environment, projects to help the environment, presentations, etc.

In Summary:

Holistic Peace Education begins with the embryonic environment where the
children, through the delicate nurturing of adults, come in touch with their
inner peace and learn to relate harmoniously with others. From this micro
experience the children will, hopefully, have the tools and understanding to be
able to accept and relate harmoniously to all people and their earthly
environment. Holistic Peace Education is educating the "life within" the child
and assisting them in learning how to relate harmoniously to the "life without."